Chasing Amy
by queenofthelooneybin
Summary: Once upon a time, Sheldon Cooper was in love. But, he lost her. Now, Sheldon must win her back before it is too late. With the help of the guys, Penny, his family and some suprising sources, they must race the clock to stop a wedding, geek-style.
1. Remembering

One seeks comfort in places they know will give it to them. People go to places where they know what they are running from will not be able to reach them. Some go to a location, such as a library or park. Home is a prime example. People go home for the memories of their mother comforting them when they were sick or sad. Some go home to be in the arms of a person they know will not ask questions, just provide soothing words and actions.

Sheldon had been homesick for over a year when he had left Texas for good. California just wasn't the same. This was before Skype and other similar forms of communication. This meant going days without talking to anyone he knew back home. He had started to forget things about some people. He had started to forget the way his mother laughed, the way his father's voice used to boom.

But, some things one just does not forget. The smell of your first lover's perfume, the way their limbs tangled around yours, how safe you felt when they would smile. Those were the things a nineteen year old Sheldon Cooper held onto his first months in California. (Note- I'm guessing this is when Cal-Tech offered him his current position. Creative license. In case you're wondering about Germany, well when Sheldon was in Germany, his mother had been given a special phone allowance to call him every day as he was a minor.)

There had never been any other options. When Sheldon had come up with the idea of running away, home had been his only thought. He needed the comfort of his mother and home. An underlying thought had been of seeking other forms of comfort. Sometimes one needed physical comfort rather than find it with their mother or in home cooking. It had never occurred to him that things had changed between them. He had thought everything would be the same.

For once, Sheldon Cooper was wrong.

Xxx

It was much hotter in Texas than it was Pasadena. Sheldon should have remembered that, but for some odd reason, it had escaped him. The airport was crowded, but that he had expected. When he exited the airport, he saw his mother waiting for him by the car, holding a sign with his name on it. She hated airports, had ever since she had been asked to leave for evangelizing while waiting for a flight when Sheldon was eight.

When he saw his mother, Sheldon flashed back to that long-ago afternoon when it all started. Maybe this meant something. He didn't believe in signs and the like. There was no science to fate. But maybe he should try and reconcile with her. After all, it had been two years since they had seen each other. They had run into each other at his father's funeral two years ago. Unlike everyone else in attendance, Sheldon hadn't cried. It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to; he just couldn't bring himself to do it in front of everyone. He had done that in private, before and after the service.

As they neared his house, Sheldon could see hers from his window. Nothing had changed. The porch swing was still there (rocking back and forth, limbs tangling, grabbing shoulders to keep her on the swing) as was the tree-house her brother had begged for and abandoned (making curtains that fluttered in the breeze, throwing his shirt onto a branch, low laughter).

"Is Amy home for the summer?" he asked as they walked up to the house. "I thought I would go over and say hello."

Mary Cooper resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She had known everything about Sheldon's life when he was a teenager and that meant the 'relationship' with the neighbor girl. She wasn't blind.

"Yes, she's next door visiting her mama. I always thought you and her would make a cute couple. I'm not getting any younger Shelly. I want grand-babies."

Sheldon tuned out the rest of his mother's rant about the wonders of grandchildren and thought of how to approach her.

Xxx

They had met the summer Sheldon returned from Germany. While in Germany, Sheldon had grown to over six feet tall. His brain had yet to adjust to his new height and he was constantly tripping over his feet, swinging his arms too far and he hated it. It had made him very shy. It didn't help that his hormones were finally kicking in. His last few weeks in Germany, he had started to notice the pretty young women in his class and pretty much everywhere else. But it didn't bother him too much. He thought himself above the primitive behaviors sexual feelings brought.

Again, he was wrong. After all, despite was people believed, Sheldon was and is human. That summer, he experienced a series of firsts that had nothing to do with academia. There had been no planning, no outlines of every possible outcome. He had just done what his instinct told him to do for the first time in his life.

And he had enjoyed it.

When he had finally arrived home, there was a girl about his age sitting on the porch of his house with Missy. They were reading magazines and chattering. As he drew closer, Sheldon braced himself for the usual inanity he had come to expect from adolescent girls.

"I liked Tim Burton's Batman films. The bleakness is the appeal," the girl on the porch muttered as she flipped past an article on leopard print clothing. Her strawberry blond hair obscured most of her face, and she wore plain clothing, jeans and a blue tank top. The way her fingers danced over an article on seven self-defense moves put Sheldon into a reverie until a rude 'Earth to Shelly' from Missy brought him back.

"Oh, this is the infamous Sheldon," the girl on the porch smiled wryly, and brushed her hair from her eyes.

"This is our next-door neighbor, Amy Derris," Missy said and she caught that flicker in both their eyes when their gazes met. That was when she was sure her brother was 'right in the head' as their mother put it.

Xxx

When Sheldon got home, he went straight into the apartment and sat on his spot on the couch. He didn't say anything to Penny or even look at her. He just sat in his spot and stared at nothing. The others had no idea what was going on.

"All we know was that when he came home, he decided to go with us, no protests or anything. Sure we were worried, but we didn't ask any questions," Leonard said.

"He looks devastated. Like his heart is broken," Penny murmured. "I'll try and talk to him."

"Good luck," Leonard called as she went in the apartment. Penny sat next to the immobile Sheldon. He turned to stare at her mutely.

"Honey, are you okay?" she asked.

"No," his voice was sad, almost human. "I have no job, I'm a laughing stock at the university, and I missed Comic-Con and the Star Trek movie. To top it all off, Amy is getting married to a complete idiot. I really don't know why all this is happening."

"Who's Amy?" Penny asked, although she dreaded the answer.

"A woman that I believed loved me because I felt the same."


	2. First Kisses

"Oh my god."

"Holy crap."

"That's so sad sweetie."

Silence.

In order, those were Leonard's, Raj's, Penny's and Howard's reactions to what Sheldon had just said. The guys were clustered around the door; listening in. Penny was still on the couch, staring at the sad man next to her. Sheldon was staring at his lap, at a picture Penny had just noticed. It was tiny, most likely torn from one of those photo booth strips. In in, a teenage Sheldon and a girl sat in the booth, Sheldon grinning humanely at the camera while the girl, who Penny deduced to be Amy, stared up at the boy next to her with pure adoration in her eyes.

"You were in love?" Penny asked and he nodded.

In the doorway, Raj and Howard turned to Leonard, who shrugged and mouthed 'I didn't know about her'. They then turned back to Sheldon and Penny.

"I did love Amy, but there is no point in pursuing a romantic relationship. After all, she chose someone else."

"No!" Penny involuntarily shrieked. Sheldon stared at her as if she were the crazy person in the room. "Sheldon, is letting her get away really the answer?"

"Why not?"

"Because…you love her. Isn't that enough?" All Sheldon did was stare at the picture. A happy couple, frozen at eighteen years old in the tiny square. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Can I start from the beginning? I don't want you to only know a part of the story. Otherwise it wouldn't make sense."

"Sure." Penny had no idea that the beginning went back to the previous decade, to a hot Texas summer where no one knew what would happen next.

Xxx

Their first kiss had been an accident. One of those kisses you don't plan, as it just happens. Something slightly awkward yet wonderful because of the promise it holds.

It had happened on the Fourth of July, about a month after they met. Unlike the rest of his family, Sheldon had stayed in that night. His parents were at a party, his younger brother, David, was at a friend's and Missy was at a party with some friends. Sheldon settled in the living room with some Star Trek movies and popcorn. He had a peaceful evening planned.

Ten minutes to nine, the doorbell rang. Thinking it was a family member, Sheldon got up to answer it. It wasn't a family member. For a second, he didn't recognize Amy. She was wearing a red sundress, her hair pulled into a ponytail and her face covered in makeup. Dark makeup circled her green eyes, making him think of a raccoon. Later, he would hear Missy say that she had been a family party.

"Yes?" Sheldon asked when he recovered his senses.

"I left my book here," Amy said a sotto voice. Something seemed a bit off about her. "May I get it?"

"As Missy enjoys reminding me, it's a free country," Sheldon muttered and let her in. They both went into the living room, Sheldon sitting on the couch and Amy crawling under it. After a few minutes, the book (American Psycho) was produced and she stood. But she didn't leave. For a few moments she stood there, staring at him.

"I have never seen you smile," she announced.

"Excuse me?" Sheldon asked.

"You don't smile. It's disconcerting," Amy tugged at her ponytail. "Are you really human?"

"I beg your pardon?" Sheldon was a bit offended, as one should be when their humanity is questioned.

"Most people laugh, cry or smile. You're like a Macy's mannequin. It's…unusual in this day and age." Amy smiled to show that there were no malice in her words. She turned to leave.

There was a chain reaction at work that moment. The combination of several glasses of wine and unfamiliar high heels made Amy stumble. Sheldon grabbed her wrist and rather than go left and hit the carpet, she was yanked to her right and fell on Sheldon. He let go of her wrist, and she sagged into him. Neither moved to get the other away from them. Amy put her hands on the couch and twisted herself into a push-up position above Sheldon. The next few seconds were a blur.

However it happened, less than a minute after she had fallen onto him, Sheldon found himself tasting red wine and salt. It confused him until he opened his eyes to see Amy pressing her lips to his. His own mouth seemed to move of its own accord, not caring what his mind was saying. The bittersweet taste of wine overwhelmed his senses and he grabbed her hips to keep her steady. Her hands fell to his shoulders, her dress' hem riding up.

Sheldon tore his mouth from hers to take a few gulps of air, hands still in position. His heart was racing and he could almost feel the blood rushing through his veins. Nothing Sheldon had experienced in his 16 years could be compared to this. It seemed like seconds later, they were at it again. He now lay on top of her, cupping the back of her head with his hand. She moaned into his mouth and he opened his, breathing air into hers. Something warm and wet slipped into his mouth. He knew what this was called, but for the life of him he couldn't remember what. So he went along, copying her action and placing a hand on a bared thigh.

"I gotta go back," Amy was able to whisper when she tore her mouth from his. "My mother is waiting for me."

"Okay," Sheldon said and rolled off her. She stood, straightening her dress and fixing her hair. There was lipstick smeared around her mouth and her eyeliner was running to the corner of her face. "I'll see you later."

It was only after she left did Sheldon notice she had left her book again. He picked it up. Maybe he could return it tomorrow.


	3. The Box

After telling Penny the story of his first kiss, Sheldon had left the room. In the doorway, she could see the others trying to guess if Sheldon had received his first kiss before they had. From the look on Howard and Raj's faces, she guessed that he had. Soon, Sheldon returned with a box. It wasn't the box with letters from his grandmother, but from the way he was holding it, it held as much sentimental value.

"I kept everything important," he said and opened the box. Inside was a jumble of seemingly random items. Penny knew that they all meant something to him. Sheldon wasn't a collector of meaningless junk. That was more her department. She inspected the box carefully. There were ticket stubs, a black hair tie, a green ribbon, a CD lyric book, and various other odds and ends. It looked like a box of things Penny had collected when she was with Kurt.

There were pictures in there as well. There were only about twenty or so, but each looked a bit worn, as if someone had thumbed through them many times. There were letters and an unmarked envelope. Penny picked up the top picture. There was a date written on the back in Sheldon's hand. Christmas, 2001. A smiling teenage Sheldon stood in front of a Christmas tree with a girl the same age. His arm was slung around her shoulders. He looked…normal. Just another 17 year old celebrating Christmas with his girlfriend.

"You look so happy," Penny said when she saw another picture. This one was a candid shot dated July, 2002. Amy and Sheldon were sitting on some steps. He was kissing her forehead as she snuggled into him.

"We were happy," Sheldon said. "Everything in this box represents something important. Even this." He held up the hair tie.

Xxx

The morning after their…interlude, Sheldon woke up feeling strange, his nerves alight and his head throbbing. For a minute, he lay in bed trying to remember what had happened the night before. The images came to him slowly. A red-lipped mouth. Hands on his shoulders. Lips against some else's. Crushing, gasping breaths. When he remembered, he sat up sharply. He had kissed Amy. She had been drunk and he had taken advantage.

After she had left, Sheldon had sat on his couch in a minor state of shock. When he had recovered, he had tasted the wine and something vaguely sweet. His reflection in the bathroom mirror had shown her lipstick all over his face. Thankfully, no one had seen him. Everyone had come home hours after she had left.

Their rooms faced each other. Before, it had never been a problem, except when she played her music too loud. Sheldon lifted a curtain to see what she was doing. Amy was awake, sitting at her desk, working on something. When she looked up, she saw him and waved at him to come closer. The gap between the Cooper and Derris houses was small and one could speak to someone across the way if they yelled loud enough. Sheldon and Amy opened their windows.

"Go outside. I'll be down in a moment," Amy half-yelled and he nodded. There was nothing he could do to stop himself. He dressed and went to the driveway, where Amy waited, wearing a plaid robe with her hair still tied up.

"Good morning Amy. Here is your book," Sheldon said robotically and handed her the book. She smiled and took it. Silently they made their way to her porch and sat on the swing.

"Last night was nice," she said shyly, playing with the sash of her robe.

"It was pleasurable." Sheldon couldn't meet her gaze. "But you were intoxicated. It wasn't right to accept an advance made in that state. You didn't know what you were doing."

"So you think I didn't know what I was doing?" Amy's voice took on a brittle edge. "I knew perfectly well what I was doing Sheldon."

"Are you attracted to me?" Sheldon hated himself for sounding so weak, so desperate. Rather than speak, Amy showed him by moving closer, putting her hands on his thighs and nearing her face to his, until their toothpaste breath mingled.

The swing creaked under them as everything seemed to blur together. Their eyes blurred until all they could see was the others. Pupils enlarged and their breathing grew ragged. The chirping of the birds faded away, the sun seemed to grow brighter. Sheldon reached a hand out, then retracted it. He had no idea where to put it. Their foreheads met and she laughed softly as his insecurity.

"You're just so weird, its attractive," she whispered almost into his mouth, the smell of Crest washing into his mouth.

This time it was all him. He didn't want to have any control anymore. So Sheldon pulled her on top of him and kissed her. It was different. Mouths opened on impact, tongues dancing while teeth clacked and arms encircled. Sheldon smelled her shampoo, something flowery and sweet. With a few tugs that made Amy shudder and jerk against him, he pulled the hair tie from her hair. Her hair fell down their shoulders, curtaining their faces.

"Sheldon…," she moaned as his hands threaded through her hair.

"What the hell is going on?" Amy's father and Sheldon's father had appeared on the porch, both carrying fishing poles and tackle boxes. The speaker was Sheldon's father. Amy's father was gripping his pole like he wanted to smack Sheldon with it.

"CPR practice." Amy's face and tone were bland as she got off Sheldon and fixed her hair. "I have to get certified to become a lifeguard. Sheldon was pretending to be a CPR dummy."

"Alright," Amy's father said and ambled down to the truck.

"Do me proud son," Sheldon's father said before he left. As soon as they were out of sight, Amy started to giggle and Sheldon turned bright red.

"You just lied to your father. And my father." Sheldon was flustered. "Why did you lie? Why?"

"So they wouldn't get mad," Amy said. "Well, your daddy seemed okay with what he saw."

"I shudder at the talk he's going to force us to have later." Sheldon sat up. "Why did your father believe us?"

"Oh, he hasn't been right since he fell off the roof a few years ago." Amy waved a hand at the memory. "I gotta get back inside before my mother decides to poke her head into my room." She kissed him quickly on the cheek and went back inside. Sheldon stared at the hair tie around his wrist. A strand of hair was still around it. He smiled for no reason and quietly slipped into his own house.


	4. First Date

Author's Note- I know the formula so far has been present then the past. But I decided to start mixing it up. I'll make it clear, so don't fret. Now, by request, Sheldon's dad gives his son 'The Talk'.

Xxx

(Then)

So far, Sheldon had been able to avoid his entire family by holing up in his room and finishing his dissertation. He expected to be done and have his doctorate by Christmas. Sadly, he was unable to avoid them forever and had to face his father at dinner.

"Sheldon, there is a time in every young man's life," Joe Cooper began, but a look from Mary made him stop.

"Danny, honey, why don't you go to your room?" Mary said to their youngest child.

"What about dessert?" Danny whined.

"Have some cake!" Mary thrust the plate at him and the ten year old scampered off. "Joe, is this really the time?"

"Hell yeah it is. Sheldon is becoming a man and Missy must be becoming a woman. They need to hear the facts," Joe grumbled. "Now, Sheldon, you're 16. That means you're becoming a man and you will have urges."

"Dad, please." Sheldon turned a light pink.

"Now, now, Shelly. There will be times when your body is telling you to do things that may seem strange," Joe burped.

"What brought this on?" Missy asked. "Aren't we a little old for 'the talk' Daddy?"

"I caught Sheldon kissing the neighbor girl the morning," Joe said through a mouthful of steak and potatoes. Mary dropped her fork onto her plate and Missy turned to her father.

"I didn't know the Grangers had a daughter," she said lightly.

"It was the Derris girl." Joe shuffled in his seat. "The urges can come at any time. When you're awake or asleep. At home or at church-"

"No, never in God's house!" Mary snapped.

"You kissed Amy?" Missy's mouth was gaping open.

"Okay, not at church," Joe retracted. "But you will start noticing girls. And women. For some men, they will start noticing the chest. Those are beautiful things. And for others, it's the rear. That is also a beautiful body part."

"Please stop!" Mary yelled and slammed her glass on the table.

"Why were you kissing Amy? When? How?" Missy was almost screaming.

"She came over last night to look for her book. A chain of events resulted in a physical encounter," Sheldon answered coolly and picked up a forkful of potatoes.

"Last night? In my house?" Mary said sharply.

"And this morning on the Derris's front porch," Joe said. "Now, Sheldon, when you get these urges, there are several ways to take care of it. One is with a woman. There are numerous ways that you and said woman can-"

"Since when were you and Amy even speaking?" Missy asked her now bright red brother.

"SHUT UP JOSEPH!" Mary yelled. "No one will be having sex in this house." She stood. "Missy, Sheldon, go to your rooms. Joseph, a word."

Xxx

(Now)

"I wonder why Sheldon never told us about this chick," Howard muttered.

"And I'm wondering why we're standing in the doorway," Leonard said. "I live here." The threesome made their way into the apartment. Almost immediately, Howard picked up a picture. "Wow Sheldon." He showed it to the others.

"You were with her?" Leonard asked. Raj leaned over and whispered something in his ear. "Raj says he can't believe it and wants to know if she's insane."

"If I had known her," Howard purred. "Lord knows how many pages of the Kama Sutra we would have recreated."

"Howard!" Penny snapped. "This is Sheldon's lost love. She's engaged to some jerk and his heart is broken. Show some respect."

"I was just saying I never would have let that go," Howard retorted. "That's why we're here. Maybe we could figure out what went wrong and he could get her back.'

"Nice save," Leonard said to him in a sotto voice. Howard shrugged and they turned back to Sheldon and the box.

"If anyone knows about failed relationships, it would be you and Leonard," Sheldon muttered and began to look through the box.

"I resent that," Howard said.

"It is true." Leonard knew his roommate had a point.

"Yep." Howard slumped in his seat as he came to the same realization. Sheldon produced a small red pinwheel.

"This is a memento from our first date."

Xxx

(Then)

The county fair stopped by the week after the Fourth of July as it did every year. This year, Missy was running for the Dairy Princess and Sheldon was going to ask Amy to go with him. It didn't seem like such a big deal, but asking a girl to be your date to the fair actually was. From what Sheldon had observed over the years, the fair provided ample opportunities for a couple to engage in either physical intimacy or emotionally bond. While the former seemed more appealing, Sheldon had a feeling they would end up exploring the latter. His mother had given him a talk as well, this one centering on the emotional side of relationships. No body parts or urges had been mentioned.

The Coopers and Amy arrived early, since Missy had to be there hours before the contest. Joe and Mary went off to look at the animals, Joe winking at Sheldon and slipping him a wrinkled twenty.

"What was that about?" Amy asked when his parents were out of earshot.

"My father is under the impression you are a prostitute," Sheldon said dryly and Amy started to laugh. "What?"

"That's what fathers do," she giggled and gestured for him to follow her. "We can either go in the haunted house or pick up the freebies at the booths down the way."

"I would prefer the haunted house over cheap pencils and magnets," Sheldon said.

Some haunted houses have little cars that take you through the house and some just left you to walk around and possibly die. The one at this particular fair was the latter. The ticket man just grunted and waved them inside.

"What? No flashlight? No map. Not even a 'good luck fair warrior'?" Sheldon started to rant until he saw Amy going in ahead of him. "Wait up!"

It was dark and smelled like wet cats and cardboard. So far, the only remotely scary thing Sheldon had seen was a spider that hadn't even been part of the house. Amy wandered close to him, although he couldn't see in the dark. As they got to the second floor of the house, a witch popped out from the ceiling and it came loose from its strings, falling to the floor in front of them. Amy swore loudly and grabbed his hand. There were no protests in his mind, nor was there the urge to slip his hand from hers. When the next thing fell from the ceiling (a skeleton) he was grateful to have her so close. He squeezed her hand once to assure her they were still safe. A green light filtered into the room and fell on Amy as they made their way back downstairs. Sheldon felt something shoot through his brain and down past his stomach. His brain interpreted that as want, desire. It felt strange, yet good.

"Hold on," he said in a hoarse voice when they reached the middle of the stairs.

"What is it Shell?" Amy asked, still holding his hand. Sheldon's free hand cupped her chin and he pulled her towards him. He pressed her against him until it felt like she had molded into him. They stood on the steps until their lips were red and swollen, their cheeks were flushed and their hearts beating faster than a space shuttle taking off.

"Wow," Amy whispered as they neared the exit of the haunted house.

"I agree," Sheldon said. They reached the outside and were almost blown back into the house. While they had been 'exploring' the house and each other, a storm had kicked up and people all around them were fleeing for cover in the little building where there was a food court, some freebies and a lot of salesmen. The couple ran for that as well, the structural integrity of the haunted house being suspect. When they were under a stable roof, Sheldon saw that a lot of people were staring at him. At first, he thought maybe there was an obvious sign of what they had been doing in the haunted house. But, Amy rectified that by reaching up and pulling something out of his hair.

"It's a pinwheel," she said as she blew on it. "See?" The small object began to spin lazily and Sheldon felt himself smile at its spirit. "I see a free table. We can sit and talk until the storm passes."

Xxx

Author's Note: Fourth down. Sorry its so bad. Right now, it is 1:21 am Eastern Time and I am pooped. I have an idea for the next chapter: Amy makes an actual, non-flashback appearance when Missy confronts her about Amy breaking her twin's heart. I'm unsure whether to put that in so early. If not that, then it will be a longer version of that chapter's flashback. Any advice is welcome and remember, reviewing is better than Halo 3 or sex. (Just watched the Dumpling Paradox and I'm still laughing.)


	5. I Love You

**(Then)**

"**Come on Shell," Amy coaxed him from the other side of the fence. Her glittery eyes glimmered in the moonlight, the sequins on her dress shining. It was New Year's eve, nearing eleven. "Live a little." **

"**This is illegal," Sheldon put heavy emphasis on the last word. "I do not want to go to jail."**

"**We won't get caught. I promise," Amy whispered and put her fingers through the wire of the fence, brushing his cheek. "Do you trust me baby?" **

**They had been an official 'item' for five months. In that time, Sheldon had received his doctorate, giving his mother a permanent one-up over the other mothers. Amy had started to get into music, spending the hours she wasn't with him writing songs and figuring out how to play them on her guitar. They spent every day together, an hour or four wasting time and just being madly, stupidly in like/lust. Unlike most of their peers, they had yet to 'go all the way' (Note: This is not going to be that story. That will come later…maybe). They rarely discussed sexual matters, although Sheldon had perused many a book on proper sexual conduct over the past few months. **

"**Yes," he sighed and hoisted himself over the short fence, dropping next to his girlfriend, whose face glowed with jubilance as she kissed him quickly. He stood there for a moment while Amy ran for the pool. They had just broken into the local community pool, after escaping from his parent's party. Missy had been unable to do so and was stuck covering for them.**

**Amy kicked off her fancy white shoes, and Sheldon heard them click and clack as they fell under the pool chairs. She turned to him and smiled, her eyes glowing in the moonlight. Then, she jumped into the chemical water, her dress flying behind her as she dove in.**

"**What are you doing?" Sheldon yelled and dashed over to the side. Amy's head popped back up, her hair now a dark red from the water.**

"**Swimming!" Amy dog-paddled to the side and looked up at him. "Join me."**

"**I can't swim."**

"**It's four feet deep Shell. You're over six foot. You'll live."**

"**I would prefer not to test that."**

"**Test what?"**

"**Being alive." **

"**Learn to live a little," she said in a pseudo-mysterious voice before she ducked back in. Sheldon sat on the edge. "Do you trust me Shell?" **

**He nodded and she gripped his hand, pulling him into a chemical, watery wonderland. She floated before her, white dress whirling around her as she did a dance for the young man. Red hair swirled in the blue, and he thought of mermaids. He would die for her song. Everything showed and he moved towards her, clasping her into his arms. Their mouths met, and he tasted water and chlorine. He held her closer and they burst to the surface. **

"**You are so beautiful."**

"**You're a God." They kissed under the moon, pressing against one another. Pebbles pressed through his suit jacket and she moaned into his mouth when something pressed against her stomach. Sheldon tried to think of equations, anything to keep himself under control, but she didn't seem to care, as her hand slid under the water's surface, undoing his zipper,. **

"**Someone could see us," he half-heartedly choked out as her free hand danced through his hair. Amy smirked, her hand playing with the wet cloth beneath his suit's trousers. Her fingers slipped through the slit, wrapping around him. Sheldon gasped, coherent thought flying out the window.**

"**Everyone is at a party," she whispered and kissed him on the mouth again, her hand still at work. Sheldon couldn't think for once in his life and he reached for her dress, undoing the zipper on the back. It floated away and she moved to wrap her legs around his, twining the limbs. His shaking hand traced her belly button, and she began to kiss his neck to encourage him.**

**The new year rang in, bells clanging and people cheering. Sheldon and Amy lay on the cement by the pool, her dress still floating away. He had abandoned the jacket.**

"**I love you Amy," he whispered, twirling a strand of her wet hair around his finger.**

"**I love you too Shell."**

**Xxx**

**(Now)**

**Penny started to cry when Sheldon started to talk about mermaids. Howard looked like he was about to cry. Leonard was in the bathroom, having ducked in after the pinwheel story. This was the story of the green ribbon, which had been in her hair that night.**

"**That is so sweet," Penny sniffled. **

"**So while we were making model rockets, Sheldon was getting some in a pool. Life isn't fair," Howard said and Raj nodded.**

"**Sheldon, your phone is ringing," Leonard said. Sheldon got up and grabbed his phone. A few minutes later, he came back, setting the device on the table and pressing the speaker button.**

_**Sheldon, its Amy. I just wanted to say that I am sorry for what happened yesterday. I didn't mean to hurt you. God, I'm so sorry. Do you remember what you said to me that night we spent in New York? It was something you got from Zora Neale Hurston. '**__**Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.' Do you remember? I love you Sheldon. Please remember that.**_

**(Approx. twenty minutes ago)**

**Coming home had been a mistake. Amy realized this too late. Seeing him had made everything melt away. The years, the pain, the anger at everything had gone away and they had been sixteen, seventeen years old again. It had been so easy to fall back into the pattern they had developed. Three years is a long time when you're a teenager. **

**So when she had seen him, Chip had been forgotten and so had their wedding. In five days, she would be his wife, and yet she couldn't care less. The look in Sheldon's eyes was haunting her. The pain, confusion, sadness had made her feel awful, shooting so deep inside her, she feared that it would never leave. And she deserved it to hover over her wedding, honeymoon and the rest of her life. **

"**Can you take a pie over to Mary?" Amy's mother, Delia, asked and held out a blueberry pie.**

"**Mary Cooper?" Amy asked innocently as she made her way across the kitchen.**

"**Of course," Delia shoved the pie into her daughter's hands. For a moment, Amy considered telling her mother no way in hell was she going over to her ex-boyfriend's house and handing his mother baked goods. It didn't help that her t-shirt, a plain blue cotton item with a fading picture of Batman, had once belonged to him. He had given it to her one hot summer afternoon, near the start of her junior year.**

_**They were in his bedroom, the door half-way, per his mother's request. He held up a t-shirt, one she knew he wore often. Wordlessly, he handed it to her.**_

_**-Why are you giving me this?- -Its customary practice to give someone a token when asking to 'go steady', as my mother says.- **_

**When she knocked on the door, Missy answered it and almost slammed it in her face. That Amy knew she deserved for what she had done. **

"**What the hell is going on?" Missy asked when she let Amy in. "And is that pie?"**

"**Yes," Amy said and set the pie on the kitchen counter. "Where's your Mom?"**

"**She went down to the Bed, Bath and Beyond to buy you a toaster," Missy grumbled. "Why didn't you tell me?"**

"**I forgot?" Amy said, her voice inflecting slightly. "Look, it's been a long couple of days for everyone. Can we talk about something else?"**

"**Yes," Missy said. "Why the hell didn't you tell Sheldon you were getting married? You owed him that much. I can understand you wanting to tell me your own way, but you shouldn't have led Shelly on like that."**

"**Don't you think I've figured that out Missy?" Amy snapped. "I know what I did was probably the worst thing a person do could do to someone, but I didn't know what else to do."**

"**You lied to him!"**

"**Because I still love him okay!" Amy buried her face in her hands, tears pricking at her eyes. "If I had the chance, I would fix everything." In response, Missy held her phone out to Amy.**

"**Call him."**


	6. New York

**Author's Note: An anonymous reviewer, Gracie, got me thinking. Yes, Penny is being a bit OOC. She isn't whipping Sheldon into shape. Why isn't she making him go after Amy? So, finally Drill Sergeant Penny. The chapter is framed by the song 'Stay' by Coal. This song is played in the beautiful, heart-wrenching movie, 'Chasing Amy'. See it. It has Ben Affleck before he got all douchey, Jason Lee when he was hot and just a great story. It's nothing like this story. But it is about what love really means, which is what I hope this story conveys. **

**xxx**

**(Now)**

**Sheldon had retreated into his room. His cell phone was still on the table. Penny, Leonard, Raj and Howard stared at it like it was going to transform. They couldn't hear anything from Sheldon's room and didn't know what to do. **

**It had been over 24 hours since any of them had seen him ad they were starting to freak out. **

"**What the hell is going on?" Leonard asked.**

"**I have no idea, but I do know that I want a drink," Penny sighed. "Anyone else want one…or six?" Howard and Raj raised their hands. Penny ducked into her apartment and returned with wine, vodka and peach schnapps. Leonard got some glasses and they commenced with the drinking. After two shots, Penny started to go through the box. None of it seemed to make sense without Sheldon to explain it. How could an eraser that looked like came from Tokyo mean something to Sheldon?**

"**What do you think this is?" Howard asked and held up a DVD case. On the cover, Sheldon had written 'New York 2-14-01'. **

"**I don't know," Penny said.**

"**Maybe its Sheldon's sex tape," Raj giggled. The case flew from Howard's hand like it was on fire and landed on Penny's lap. She stared at it for a moment.**

"**Let's watch it." This announcement was greeted with silence. "What are the chances Sheldon, even at 17 years old, was dumb enough to make a sex tape?"**

"**She has a point," Leonard pointed out. **

"**I would have!" Howard half-yelled.**

"**You're disgusting." Raj reminded him and Howard shrugged and refilled his glass. Leonard took the DVD from Penny and into the DVD player. **

**The 'film' if could be called that, opened up in what appeared to be a bar, but it was actually a café. Whoever was holding the camera panned over the crowd and settled on Sheldon, who was sitting in a booth.**

_**You don't have to lie about where you've both know you've been schemin'.So why don't you give your little voice a rest, climb on up inside my bed, and just pretend you need me?**_

"_C'mon Shelly, say something to the camera," Missy laughed and zoomed in on her brother. _

"_I have nothing to say," Sheldon turned away._

"_When we get back, Amy is going to watch this tape. How do you think she'll feel when she finds out that her boyfriend didn't have any words of encouragement?"_

"_I told her something before she went backstage," Sheldon said robotically. _

"_Well, this will be on tape forever," Missy retorted. "Say something!" From the way Sheldon jumped, she must have made a fist. _

"_Amy, I would like to say good luck and that I know you will do well," Sheldon said. "Now will you leave me alone Missy? You aren't taping her performance like you're supposed to be." The camera quickly panned to the stage, where Amy and a band of generic looking males were set up._

_**You don't have to lie about what you both know that I've been sufferin'.And I don't need to be your only one, and I don't need your comfortin', I just need you with me**_

In his room, Sheldon was curled into a ball on his bed. He could hear the DVD and it only spurred on the emotions coursing through him. He remembered that night very well. Amy and Missy had gotten the opportunity to go to New York with their school that week, as part of the music classes' curriculum. He had gone with them, as he had some downtime after finishing his thesis. At some point, they had gone to this café and the students had performed.

Until that night, Valentine's Day had never held much meaning for him. It was just another thing he was excluded from. In the years before, he had spent the nights alone, watching TV or working. But, in the years before, there wasn't an Amy.

(Then)

The café smelled of cheap cigarette smoke and coffee. Sheldon wrinkled his nose in distaste as a man blew smoke close to his eye. He hated these places, and would have stayed in the hotel with some of the others and play video games, but this was Amy's night and social convention dictated he be there for her.

_**(chorus)(Stay, Stay, Stay with , stay with me. Stay, and don't you ever run away from me.)**_

Sheldon didn't understand the appeal of this song. It was basically about a woman being used, yet she loved it so much. On stage, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. During a purely musical interlude, she mouthed something to him.

I love you Shell.

In return, he mouthed back I love you Amy

Later, as they were walking back to the hotel, it started to snow. That wasn't unusual for New York in February, but to a native Texan like Amy, the sky might as well have been shooting gumballs.

"What the hell?" she yelled as a snowflake landed on her eye. 

"It's snowing," Sheldon said. He had seen snow while in Germany, and the novelty had quickly worn off. Amy lifted her face towards the sky and started to dance on the sidewalk, laughing as the white powder brushed onto her face.

"It's beautiful," she whispered as they watched it blanket the city. 

_**Oh,and if she ever let's you down,after she has run out of your money? Well then just crawl on back to me, I'm the one thatsets you free, and I'm the one that needs you.**_

Later, they were standing at the door of her hotel room. Their cheeks were red from the cold and snow was sprinkled on their coats. Sheldon had Amy backed against the door and they were kissing goodbye quite fervently, as their heaving breath and clawing hands would have indicated to any passersby. 

"I should go back to my room," Sheldon breathed as they pulled apart.

"Do you have to?" Amy asked, nipping his neck. "We could go into my room. After all, its right here." She looked up at him with half-lidded eyes. Before he could even say yes, she dragged him inside. She knew what he thought. Somehow, she knew him that well. He was terrified of this, because people who could see into you had that power to destroy you as well.

They lay on her bed. Missy would be gone until maybe midnight or one am and it was only ten. They didn't do anything for a while, they just laid there, curled into each other's arms and breathing each other's air. Sheldon brushed some hair from her face and kissed her. In response, Amy moaned and rolled on top of him. Her hands planted themselves on his shoulders, gripping tighter as their actions intensified. Another moan escaped from her and then from his as their bodies locked. 

When the coldness of his hands slid under her sweater and to the warmth of her stomach, Amy shrieked and rolled off him, with Sheldon's hands still gripping her sides. It was so awkward, Sheldon couldn't help but smile. It faded when he lifted her sweater over her head. Amy's face and chest flushed red. It wasn't the first time he had seen her in this state of undress. New Year's Eve, he had seen her in only her bra and 'knickers' as the British said. But tonight wasn't a semi-drunken night of adolescent tomfoolery. 

There was something different about now. 

_**And if she ever let's you go, we both know what you'll be needin'. And if you need somewhere to rest, somewhere to lay yourhead, you'll know where to find me.**_

Between kisses, clothing was shed and soon they lay under the comforter, breathing heavily and hands exploring the other's bare skin. Sheldon drank in everything, to save it forever. The glazed, lustful look in her eyes. The roundness of her breasts. The flatness of her stomach that led to the dark apex of her thighs.

"Once we do this, there is no going back," Amy whispered, her hand between his legs. "The events can not be undone."

"I know," his voice muffled as he kissed her breasts. "It is a big step."

"But I think we're ready."

"I concur."

With a few fumbling touches and a kiss, they crossed over into this other territory. Afterwards, they lay in each other's arms, sweating and gasping for breath. Sheldon rested his head on her chest and she stroked his hair.

"What do you suppose love is?" Amy asked when air rushed back into her lungs. "What does it mean?"

"Some say that love is a split soul, one soul inhabiting two bodies. But I don't think that's it," Sheldon said. "Zora Neale Hurston said that love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place. That seems more likely."

"That's beautiful," Amy said softly and kissed him on the mouth. "Sounds right."

_**And if you need somewhere to rest, somewhere to lay your head, you know where to find me.**_

(Now)

A knock on the door made Penny pause the DVD and Leonard get up to answer the door. Standing there was none other than Leslie Winkle.

"Hey Leslie," Leonard mumbled. "What's up?"

"I'm going to be out of town for a few days and I need you to water my plants and feed my rats while I'm gone," she said.

"Sure," Leonard said. "You wanna come in?"

"I have nothing better to do," she answered. 

"So why are you going out of town?" Penny asked.

"My brother's getting married and my mother is making me go to Texas for the ceremony," Leslie sighed and sat next to Howard. "So how have you been Howard?"

"Fine," Howard attempted to keep a stiff upper lip. "You're looking well Leslie."

"You look ridiculous," she responded and saw the box. "Why do you have pictures of my brother's fiancé? And why is Sheldon in them?" Realization dawned on the others that moment and Penny stood up, announcing she had an idea.

"SHELDON!" she yelled. "You won't believe this!"

"I find it hard to believe something wholly improbable is happening with Leslie Winkle in the apartment," Sheldon answered back. 

"Amy is going to marry her brother!" Penny hollered. "She will be Amy Winkle. The children that should have been yours will be his. Rather than have an Aunt Missy, they will have an Aunt Leslie. Leslie will spend the holidays with her. Her brother will be touching Amy where you have…touched before. You are going to lose to a Winkle. An inferior male version of Leslie."

_**Stay with me!(this part repeats several times)I can't live another day, I won't live another day without you baby!Stay with me!**_

A few moments later, Penny heard sounds of life coming from Sheldon's room. In five minutes, he opened the door, carrying a bag and a resolute expression on his face.

"What are you doing?" she asked as Sheldon marched into the living room.

"I am taking your advice. I am going home and I am going to get her back," Sheldon said.

"You could call her," Penny followed him into the main room. 

"I will not let children that should be mine be fathered by a Winkle. It wouldn't be right. It would be spitting in the face of science."

"What did you do?" Leonard hissed. 

"I think I created a real life romcom right here!" Penny squealed. 

"Should we go with him?" Raj asked as he watched Sheldon rifle through the cabinets to get his vitamins.

"I think we should," Howard said.

"I'll go with you guys," Leslie piped up. They all turned to stare at her. "I don't enjoy traveling alone."

So it was settled. Leslie, Howard, Raj, Sheldon, Leonard and Penny would go to Texas and stop a wedding.

_**Turn down the headlights. Empty the ashtrays. Sweep out of the airway, what's left of our time. Oh, you can use my body todo what you have to, but stay a little longer, stay with me.**_


	7. Flight

(Now)

62 hours until the wedding

Thirty hours after they decided to go to Texas, they were on a plane, the ten pm to Galveston. Everyone (except Sheldon) had to inform their bosses of a 'family emergency' that needed immediate attention, pack for several days away from home, arrange for papers to be stopped and animals to be fed. Howard had to convince his mother to let him go. The stewardess on their current flight had been the one from their flight only a few days before.

"Why are y'all back so soon?" she asked. The shiny letters on her nametag spelled out 'Belinda'.

"We're stopping the wedding of the woman he loves," Penny chirped and pointed to Sheldon.

"She's marrying my brother," Leslie said monotonously.

"You're helping them stop the wedding?" Belinda's plastic smile was starting to slip.

"Technically no," Leslie droned. "It just made sense to accompany them."

"We only have 62 hours to do so," Sheldon added. On his lap was the photo booth picture of him and Amy that he had been holding when he had started telling the story.

"Aw…that's so sweet," Belinda's saccharine tone returned. "Is that her?" she asked when she saw the picture.

"Yes," Sheldon said. "Her name is Amy."

"You're chasing Amy!" Belinda squealed. "Like in the movie."

"An interesting note about that movie," Sheldon began. "There actually wasn't a character named Amy. The female lead was named Alyssa…"

Of course, Sheldon had seen the movie. During spring break of the 2000-2001 school year, both families had gone to Dallas, leaving Sheldon, Amy and Missy home alone. The Coopers had recently purchased a new VCR/DVD set. The couple had spent hours watching movies while Missy cavorted around town with her flavor of the month.

xxx

(Then)

There isn't another soul on this fucking planet who's ever made me the person I am when I'm with you, and I would risk this friendship for the chance to take it to the next plateau. Because it's there between you and me. You can't deny that. And even if we never speak again after tonight, please know that I'm forever changed because of you and what you've meant to me, which - while I do appreciate it - I'd never need a painting of birds bought at a diner to remind me of.

When he heard her sniffle, Sheldon's first thought was that Amy was coming down with a spring cold. But when he turned, he saw that she was crying.

"Why are you crying?" Sheldon whispered and paused the movie.

"I don't know," Amy wiped at her eyes. "It just resonates with me in a big way." Sheldon pulled her into his lap and rested his forehead against hers. His mouth sealed over hers, a comfort. His hands threaded through her hair, pulling her closer to him. He kissed her tears as they made their way down her cheeks. His hands fumbled with the buttons of her blouse, his fingers trembling a bit. In response, Amy started with the buttons at the bottom of her blouse. It soon fell open, and Sheldon started to plant his lips on the warm flesh, murmuring as he kissed the hollow of her throat, up and down her collarbone.

"Then seek not, sweet, the "If" and "Why"/I love you now until I die," Sheldon said against her skin, taking the words of Christopher Brennan and imprinting them into the soft flesh his lips grazed. "For I must love because I live/And life in me is what you give."

"Sheldon," Amy's voice was low, breathy as she shouldered off her blouse and he fumbled with her bra, letting it fall in-between the sofa cushions. "Sheldon." The soft mummer turned sharp. "Can we talk?"

Sheldon, still a bit clueless when it came to women, had no idea that those four words could spell certain doom for the still young (when one looks at it, nine months isn't really that long) relationship.

"What is it?" Sheldon asked, lifting his face from her chest.

"Why don't you ever say your own words?" Amy sat up, still topless.

"What do you mean?" Sheldon asked.

"I love you, but you never say anything you didn't get from some dead poet," Amy explained. "For once, say what's in your heart, not in someone else's."

There was so much he wanted to tell her. That he had loved her almost from the moment they had met, that he needed her to breathe, that the thought of her leaving him would break his heart. But, something blocked the words in his throat and all he could do was stare at her.

"Do you have anything to say?" Amy asked and he shook his head, which was all he could do. "Dammit Sheldon. Sometimes, I wonder if you feel anything for me outside of your pants!" Tears sprang at her eyes and she hastily tried to wipe them away. "I wonder if you have feelings sometimes. Now I know." She sprang from the couch, buttoning half her buttons and tripping over her feet. A moment later, he heard the door slam and he put his head in his hands.

"What the hell just happened?" Missy asked when she walked in not long afterwards. "Why is Amy crying?" She paused. "What? Did? You? Do?" The words were spat out from clenched teeth.

"She told me to tell her how I felt, in my own words," Sheldon shrugged.

"Did you ever tell her how you feel in your own words?" Missy asked. "And 'I love you' doesn't count. Its universal." When her twin didn't meet her gaze, she hit him upside the head.

"What was that for?" Sheldon asked.

"That was a stupid move, even for you," Missy said and hit him again. "When a guy does nothing but quote, a girl thinks he doesn't feel anything and is using the quotes to hide that. God, you're dense."

"Oh," Sheldon stared at his lap. "What should I do to fix this?"

"Now, that is your problem," Missy stated. "I am not involved and I don't plan to start." Then, she left, leaving Sheldon alone to figure out a problem with way too many variables to have the perfect solution.

Xxx

(Now)

60 hours until the wedding

After meeting with Chip at his favorite bar (even though they had been in Texas for a week) and watching him drink several bottles of beer, Amy had claimed she was tired and left. Of course, she was lying. Two and a half days until the wedding, and she had seriously considered running. But, that wasn't really an option. Everything was set up. Her final fitting for the dress was in ten hours.

When she got home, she went right for the box she had kept under the bed. Somehow, over the years, it had never been moved or found. Being an only child, her bedroom had been kept the way she had left it.

Under a necklace and some ticket stubs was a letter. Plain college ruled notebook paper that had stayed white over the past eight years. Carefully, as not to disturb everything else, she slid it out. It was dated '4-3-2001'.

Dear Amy,

I am sorry for my actions earlier today. I did not mean to hurt your feelings. Expressing my emotions verbally is not my forte. There is a lot that I want to say to you. One of those things is that I love you. But you already know that. The general consensus seems to be that using ones own words is more romantic. But I can only do so on paper.

The moment I laid eyes on you, I was attracted to you. This is common in romantic fiction. But it is the truth. When we kissed for the first time, it was the first time I had ever experienced arousal with another person. As you may have guessed, you were the first person I shared several life experiences with for the first time. You were my first kiss, as well as my first lover. When we are apart, I have trouble concentrating and constantly think of you. I dream of you constantly. If it were possible, I would spend eternity with you.

Sheldon


	8. Planning and Dresses

**Author's Note: Rather than have it say now in parenthesis, when it is the present day, it will say how many hours until doomsday…I mean the wedding.**

**Xxx**

**59 hours until the wedding**

They got in at one in the damn morning. Missy had let them in through the back door, just as Sheldon had done for her so many times over the years. 13 to 19, six years in all. She wouldn't usually do something like this, but when she had heard why they were coming, she had to do it. Missy had hated Chip ever since Amy had brought him home a year and a half ago, and had spent two hours yesterday trying to get her to do what Missy knew Amy really wanted to do. Leave the cocky jerk and go back to Sheldon.

"Y'all can sleep in Shelly's room," Missy whispered as they crowded into the kitchen. "Penny can share mine." A swift kick to his shin silenced any comments Howard would have made. They tip-toed up the stairs, leaving their luggage in the living room. (A/N: Leslie has checked into a hotel she made reservations for already)

When Sheldon looked out the window, he half-expected to see Amy in her old bedroom, sitting at her desk, reading or on her bed playing her guitar. All he saw was a dark window. Of course, Sheldon thought, she wouldn't be home alone. She would be with that insect she was supposed to marry.

"You could see into her room?" Howard yelped and leapt to the window in a single bound. "Wow. You were a lucky guy Sheldon."

"I suppose I was," Sheldon sighed and lay in his old bed. "I am going to sleep. I expect you to do the same."

**50 hours until the wedding**

"What's the plan?" Howard asked the next morning over a pancake breakfast.

"Plan for what?" Mary asked. When she had gotten up and seen the motley crew assembled in her kitchen, she had said nothing, only getting out the large bowl and instructing Leonard and Howard to start mixing the batter. Leonard tried to tell her that he could have dairy products (there was milk in the pancakes) but she didn't seem to hear him.

"Oh…nothing," Leonard said and tried to shoot Sheldon a look. But Sheldon ignored him and turned to his mother.

"We're here to stop the wedding," Sheldon stated nonchalantly and took a gulp of milk.

"You're here to what?" Mary asked, dropping her fork onto her plate. Raj squeaked in fear and slumped in his seat, as if he was trying hide behind his glass of juice.

"Stop the wedding," Sheldon supplied.

"Why are y'all encouraging him?" Mary asked, glaring at everyone else, even Missy.

"We want him to be…happy?" Leonard said and looked down at his plate quickly.

"I'm a sucker for love stories," Penny muttered, as she was barely awake enough to move, much less make sense. Sheldon didn't bother to help them explain. He finished his food and got up to shower. There was a lot to do and so little time to do it. Mary stood and followed her son up the stairs. She caught him in his old room as he shifted through his bag.

"Shelly, why are you doing this?" she asked.

"I need to shower," Sheldon said shortly. Mary stood between him and the door.

"You and Amy have been broken up since you were nineteen years old. That's six years Shelly. Now will you please tell me why you're trying to stop her wedding?" Mary asked.

"It isn't right to let her marry a simian," Sheldon answered.

"You still love her, don't you?" Mary asked, narrowing her eyes. "Don't lie to me Shelly." In response, Sheldon just nodded. His mother smiled and patted his shoulder. "I will do what I can to help you."

Meanwhile, Amy was at the bridal shop, staring at her reflection in the dressing room's full length mirror. She wore her dress, a simple white gown with thin straps and bits of lace. It would be two days before she wore this again and that would be her wedding day. Everyone seemed to take pleasure in reminding her that she would become Mrs. Charles Winkle soon and it made her feel a bit nauseous every time she heard it.

"Are you okay?" Chip's sister poked her head into the dressing room.

"Um, yeah," Amy muttered and smoothed down the front of her dress. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay," Leslie muttered and nodded. "You look nice, by the way."

"Thank you," Amy smiled at her future sister-in-law as warmly as she could. They had only met twice before, as she too far away to visit them often. She lived in California and the rest of the Winkles lived in Seattle, which meant that they had yet to become close. "Is everyone here?"

"Missy can't make it, but otherwise everyone necessary is here," Leslie replied. Amy nodded and stepped out of her dressing room. As the other bridesmaids, her mother and her future mother-in-law gushed over their personal vision in white, Amy just stood there and tried to tune them out. She tried to think of something else to help remove herself from her present situation.

Xxx

(Then)

They had spent the two weeks leading to their anniversary apart and Amy hadn't expected him to remember it at all.

So when Sheldon knocked on her bedroom door at exactly 7:16 am on the morning of July 5th, Amy was surprised, soon becoming frantic because she had bed head and was wearing a wife beater and gym shorts. Not the most romantic of getups. But he kept knocking, saying her name over and over.

"Amy." Knock, knock. "Amy." Knock, knock. "Amy." Knock, knock.

"Give me a minute baby!" she called and frantically yanked off her shorts.

"Okay," Sheldon said. Amy remembered where she had put her robe and ducked into her closet. As she tried to find it, her door opened and she turned to see Sheldon standing in her room, holding a bouquet of flowers, his eyes wide at the sight of his girlfriend in only bikini briefs and a faded wife beater.

"Why didn't I realize you thought I meant 60 seconds?" Amy muttered and put on her robe.

"Isn't that what a minute is?" Sheldon asked, his face scrunching up.

"Why are you here so early?" Amy asked.

"At this exact moment one year ago, we were having our first kiss," Sheldon stated. "I wanted to give you flowers, as that seems to be the custom."

"Shell," Amy sighed. "Never mind, I'll explain it to you later. Now come here."

They wrapped their arms around each other, mouths and hands meeting for a brief moment of physical nirvana before they had to part. As Sheldon reached for the sash of her robe, someone yanked him away.

"What the hell are you doing in my baby's room?" Rick Derris asked the gangly young man he was holding by the scruff of his neck.

"Daddy, Sheldon is my boyfriend. We've been dating for a year," Amy said and pulled the two men apart.

"Really?" Rick asked. "Why haven't I seen him around?"

"He was here night before last! You made him leave because he kept explaining the physics behind baseball. This is Joe Cooper's son. Sheldon."

"Oh yeah!" Rick said and clapped Sheldon on the back. "I like him. But keep the door open. And no hanky-panky young lady."

Xxx

Note: So sorry I take so long, and even more sorry this chapter is short and lame. But the next one will be longer and better. I promise at least two of these elements: elaborate schemes, disguises, cross-dressing and a drunk Raj. Also, a very Sheldon Christmas.


	9. Failed Plans

**47 hours until the wedding **

_Kill me now God_, Amy thought as she took an extra long sip of red wine and stared at the people around her. A country club lunch with her fiancé, his sister, her mother, her step-father and Chip's parents had been a terrible idea. The sanest person at the table was Leslie, who was drinking herself and staring into space. Chip and her step-father, Martin, were talking about sports and the two mothers were finalizing some of the wedding details.

Meanwhile, Penny, Missy, Raj, Howard, Leonard and Sheldon were by the back entrance to the country club, a blueprint of the club spread onto the hood of Missy's car. The head waiter at the club owed her a favor and she was cashing it in now.

"Okay, while Penny and Missy distract the host with their charms, the rest of us will sneak in," Howard explained. "Raj and I will take our positions at the bar, while Leonard waits for our signal. Sheldon will hide in the storage closet. When I tug my ear, he will go over to their table and tell Chip that his car is smoking under the hood. Keep him outside by getting him to go under the hood. Ninety seconds later, I will come up to Amy and tell her that Missy is in distress. When we near the storage closet, Sheldon will open the door and I will push Amy inside."

"I feel ridiculous," Leonard announced. He wore a green jumpsuit and a fake moustache.

"And you think I don't?" Howard snapped. He wore a yellow dress, a big hat and a curly red wig. "My legs aren't even shaved." Missy stifled a giggle and Penny just hung her head in shame. Raj was the only one of the men dressed normally.

"Let's go before I change my mind," Leonard muttered. Sheldon was staring at him. "What?"

"You resemble Luigi," Sheldon smiled as he said this, but it wasn't a normal smile, but the stretchy, horrifying one. "It's quite amusing."

"Please don't smile like that when you see her," Penny said gently and they slinked inside.

At the Winkle table, Amy was on her second glass of wine, Leslie on her third. Amy turned to Leslie to tell her something when she saw the other woman's eyes widen in shock and revulsion. Amy whipped her head around to see an ugly Jewish woman in a buttercup yellow dress making her way to the bar with a frightened looking Hindu man. The woman's legs were hairier than a sheepdog and her wig was askew.

"Well, that's not something you see every day," Amy joked and finished her glass and poured herself another before anyone could comment or chastise her. Leslie nodded and drained her glass. A few minutes later, a man who resembled Luigi half-ran up to their table, causing Leslie to choke on her wine.

"Mister Winkle, I am so sorry, but your car, she's a-smoking." No one but Amy and Leslie seemed to realize that the man's accent was clearly fake. Chip followed the Luigi impersonator outside. In the two minutes or so that followed, Amy drank, Leslie drank and the parents chatted.

"Miss, miss!" the ugly woman from the bar ran up to their table. Her Yiddish accent was loud and shrill, like a stereotypical Jewish mother on a sitcom. (Note: Howard is doing his impersonation of his mother) "Missy Cooper needs your help!"

"Missy's here?" Amy asked, doubt creeping into her voice as she put her glass down.

"She is in the ladies room and needs your help!" the 'woman' shrieked. Amy was starting to doubt the woman's gender, her pale and hairy legs appearing very manly. Over the 'woman's' shoulder, she could see Chip coming back in.

"Take me to her," Amy sighed and followed the woman.

As soon as Amy and who Leslie assumed was Howard were out of sight, Leslie got up and approached Raj.

"What is going on?" Leslie asked, forgetting about Raj's issue. "Why is Leonard dressed like Luigi and why does that ugly woman look like Howard?"

"I do know, but it is part of an elaborate scheme that I can not divulge," Raj giggled and took another sip of his drink. "Barkeep, another Grasshopper!"

"What elaborate scheme?" Leslie asked. "Are you drunk?"

"Yes no maybe so," Raj sang merrily. A few minutes later, a familiar screech sounded from down the hall. Both heads snapped up and they turned to see Amy walk back into the dining room and sit at the table as if nothing had happened.

Xxx

(Then)

"Are you okay?" Sheldon asked as he sat on the porch next to Amy. It was Christmas Eve and her mother had just announced she was leaving Amy's father after the holidays. The news had been greeted with tears (Rick) and silence (everyone else). From the porch, Sheldon could hear Janice Derris trying to justify her outburst. It wasn't working.

"Not really," Amy whispered and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know they haven't been happy for a long time." Sheldon pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"It's going to be alright," Sheldon said.

"How do you know?" Amy asked and looked up at him. "Can you promise me anything?"

"I can not," Sheldon stated. "There is no way to predict the future. But I will give the emotional support needed."

There was more on the tip of his tongue, all the things he wanted to say, but couldn't. The reassurances, the promises, the blazing declarations that every other teenaged boy could freely declare but he couldn't. All he could do was hold her tighter and kiss her chastely.

"Shelly, we're leaving," Mary suddenly appeared on the porch. "They're fighting like cats and dogs in there."

"Mama, can Amy come spend the night with us?" Missy asked innocently, winking at the couple when Mary wasn't looking. "She shouldn't have to spend Christmas in there."

"That's a good idea," Mary said.

"Thank you," Amy said and wiped her eyes.

They spent hours in front of the TV that night, watching tape after tape of Halloween specials, among them A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Mary had discovered the joys of the VCR a few years back and had a large collection of what she deemed wholesome and family-friendly programs. In the past week, Sheldon and Missy had forced to sit through the above mentioned Christmas specials over a dozen times. Amy had only seen it once this year. The other two were glad for the distraction this time around.

_I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love. _

"That makes me think of you," Amy whispered, as not to attract any attention from Mary or Missy. "You're not as bad as you seem. You just need a little love."

"Thank you," Sheldon said.

"You're welcome."

That night, Sheldon lay awake, waiting for a knock on his door. When it sounded, he silently got out of bed and inched the door open. Amy slithered in, a finger pressed to her lips. Neither made a sound until they reached his bed.

"I need you so much," Amy whispered. "Just love me Shell." She straddled him, the hem of her nightshirt riding up her thighs just before she took it off. The moonlight cast a silver light on the body Sheldon knew so well. The house was almost silent, the only sounds being their soft grunts as hands roamed, clothes were shed and breathing quickened. Sheldon could feel his hands shaking as he fumbled under the mattress to fish out what they needed. He felt so awkward, so stupid. He felt like a normal teenager. The danger of their act crawled under his skin, making his body hum.

Their bodies melded together, both needing the comfort only this sacred, ancient act could bring. Sheldon pressed his body closer to hers, holding onto her hips. Amy bit her lower lip until it flushed red, trying to stay quiet. As the pressure built in his gut, Sheldon felt something sharp sting his shoulder. Amy's teeth had clamped onto the flesh as her hips rocked. Amazingly, the only sound throughout the whole act was one squeak as it ended.

"Merry Christmas Shell," Amy whispered as she drifted off to sleep in his arms. Sheldon looked at his clock. It was 12:02.

Seven hours later, Sheldon woke up to an empty bed and his younger brother shrieking that it was Christmas and pounding on every door. When Sheldon dressed he went downstairs to exchange gifts. While they waited for Mary and Joe, Sheldon decided to give Danny a history lesson.

"Danny do you know how the Christmas tree came to be?" he asked.

"Yeah," Danny snapped. "You tell that damn story every Christmas."

"Not year before last," Missy kicked in as she blew on her nails to dry the candy apple red varnish.

"I thought the information could use some reinforcement," Sheldon muttered. A few minutes later, their parents came in and presents were opened. Sheldon got three shirts from his mother, a wallet (with a condom and 20 dollars inside) from his father, a gift card to the local comic book store from Missy, a pencil holder from Danny and a book on bosonic string theory from Amy.

In the clamor that was a part of Christmas, Sheldon slipped Amy her gift. He had seen it in a shop in Dallas and had simply known (although he would never admit it) that it was the gift. It was a necklace, a silver chain with an atom charm dangling from it.

"I love it," Amy said and put it on, kissing him on the cheek.

"Picture time!" Mary shouted. "Shelly, Amy, you two first."


	10. Fortune

**42 hours until the wedding**

When they came back for lunch, Howard had his nose wrapped in a bandage and his eyes were red. The lock on the closet door had jammed which meant Howard hadn't been able to get Amy in and she had mistaken him for a rapist, macing him and hitting him in the nose. Sheldon was still at the club, having been forgotten in the chaos, as had Raj. Missy was on her way to get them. Leonard, Penny and Howard were at the Cooper house. As she helped Mary prepare dinner (A/N: I know, sexist, but who else is going to do it?) Penny decided to ask some questions.

"What was Sheldon like as a child?" Penny asked as they peeled potatoes.

"Up until he was five, Shelly was real quiet. He would just sit in his room for hours, reading and playing with his toys. But when he started school, he realized that he wasn't like the other kids. That he was special and the other kids didn't appreciate that," Mary said. She put down her peeler and sighed. "I always felt like I had betrayed him in some way by not telling him he wasn't like them. After he started school, he became, well…the way he is now."

"You knew Amy, right?"

"She dated my son for three years Penny. I saw her almost as much as I saw my own daughter." Mary stared at Penny as if the blond was possibly slow. "Those two…you don't see it much these days, what they had. If things had gone differently, I'd be a grandma by now."

"What was he like when they were together?"

"Almost normal. For a while, I thought that he was possessed by some German demon, but then I recognized the signs. My little boy was in love. He actually did things boys his age did. He went out; saw normal movies, none of that alien stuff. He started to use words we understood, and he laughed all the time when they were together." Mary paused again. "When they broke up, his heart was just shattered. He almost didn't go to California, but after…he just had to get away."

"He kept things," Penny blurted out. "From their relationship. Pictures and trinkets."

"I'm not surprised. Shelly was always the type to keep things. He has a little box of letters from his mee-maw."

"I know. I saw that too."

"That woman and I never got along, but I have to admit she loved that boy to death."

The front door banged open and the sound of Raj singing filled the house. It sounded like 'Love Hurts' by Incubus. Sheldon walked into the kitchen, smelling of bleach and sawdust.

"I find it concerning that no one came into the closet during the course of my sojourn in there," he announced. "Mother, if the wedding is to take place there, I am going to need my Haz-mat suit."

"It won't be taking place there," Missy said. "Amy told me that the wedding is going to be at the lake. Something about the mood or setting. I wasn't listening."

"How could you not listen? Every detail to crucial to the plan!" Sheldon cried.

"Well, we were talking about that before I knew y'all were gonna go all Rambo and crash the wedding in drag."

"I love you Missy! You are very pretty when you yell," Raj chirped. Everyone shut up and stared at him. Then, he fell over.

"How much did he drink?" Penny asked.

"After his third, the bartender just gave him tonic water and green Kool-Aid." Missy shook her head. "Someone help me get him to the couch.

Over dinner, they talked about the weather and current events, staying away from today's events and the upcoming nuptials. Soon, the conversation turned to people that only Sheldon, Mary and Missy knew, excluding the rest.

"Do you remember that Mexican lady who used to live down the street? The one who babysat and told fortunes?" Mary mentioned.

"She was Peruvian," Sheldon reminded her. "I told you that several times as you kept offending her."

"Anyway Shelly, I saw her granddaughter at the A&P today and apparently Miz Esmeralda has the sugar and her poor granddaughter has to take over as head of the family," Mary continued.

"I remember her," Missy said. "She used to tell you your future for free. Or for some snacks."

"That explains the diabetes," Sheldon muttered.

"Didn't you and Amy go see her once?" Missy asked.

"You saw a fortune teller?" Leonard didn't believe it and Sheldon's affirmative nod just made it seem that less believable. "Really?"

"It was a lark."

Xxx

(Then)

The 'voodoo woman' lived a block from their houses. Local legend said that she could read one's fortune accurately. Sheldon of course didn't believe in such madness and told Amy so as she half-dragged him to the little yellow house.

"Sheldon, this falls under doing things for fun," she said as the grip on his hand tightened. "We've talked about this, remember?"

"I believe we discussed day trips and having coitus outdoors, not this type of nonsense," Sheldon reminded her, causing a blush to sweep across her face.

"This qualifies too," she hissed as they walked up the stone walkway. A girl that appeared to be about eleven sat on the porch, reading a thick paperback. She looked up from her mop of curls.

"Are you here to see my grandma?" she asked. Amy nodded. "Go on in. She's in the kitchen." Sheldon attempted to stay behind, but in a burst of strength, Amy dragged him inside the house. The walls were covered with pictures of children (the seventies and eighties attire were a dead giveaway) and grandchildren, most of the latter being of the girl on the porch. The house smelled of lentils and chicken. A small old woman sat at the table with a book of word search puzzles.

"Um, Miz Esmeralda?" Amy whispered. The woman looked up and smiled.

"Sit," she said and they did. "Which one of you would like to go first?"

"He would," Amy pointed at Sheldon, as if Esmeralda needed any clarification.

"I never do readings with couples," the older woman said. Amy nodded and left the room. Esmeralda took Sheldon's hand.

"Unlike your girlfriend, you are not at a crossroads in your life. In your mind, you have a plan. But, you keep forgetting the other factors. Do not forget that other people have plans too.

"In your future, I see great happiness and love. But then, great pain. You will experience the worst kind of sorrow after the best kind of love. In the land of the sun, you will collect a surrogate family. Listen to the blonde, Sheldon. She has great wisdom, deep down."

Xxx

Note: In the next chapter, Penny and Amy finally meet!


	11. The Magic Carpet

36 hours until the wedding

It may have been midnight, but the Cooper house was alive. Mary Cooper was asleep, as she took pills every night. She claimed it was for her nerves. At the moment, her children weren't going to be asking any questions. They felt like teenagers again, and some of them were feeling that brand of excitement for the first time. Missy, Sheldon, Penny, Leonard, Raj and Howard were sneaking out of the house and going to a bar. The Magic Carpet had been around for years. In their teenage years, Sheldon and Missy had snuck out every night to go see Amy play the late night set. As she was young, a greenhorn, they gave her the last slot, twelve-twenty to whenever. Every Friday night, Sheldon would sneak out to see her. Amy had told Missy that she would be playing her old set one last time. As soon as Sheldon had heard, there was no question as to what their plans were that night.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Missy asked as they stood outside the bar.

"Yes," Sheldon's voice was flat, yet determined. They walked up to the door. The bouncer, Wolf, had been there as long as the bar. He smiled at the twins.

"Good old Shelly and Missy," he grinned. "You back to see Ames?"

"Yep," Missy said. "She's getting married you know?"

"Congrats man." Wolf clapped Sheldon on the back.

"Not to me," Sheldon said.

"Really man?" Wolf's face fell. "Sorry."

"Not as sorry as I am," Sheldon stated. "But, everything will be alright."

They went into the bar. The Magic Carpet hadn't changed much in the years since their last visit. People still didn't dance, and the air smelled of beer and smoke. Everyone turned to stare when four unfamiliar faces and two old ones walked in. Penny, being a California blond, seemed to attract the most attention. Leonard put an arm around her waist, to keep the creeps away. At least that was what he told himself.

"Hey Shell, Missy," the bartender, Cliff, grunted. "You brought some friends."

"Yep," Sheldon said. "Virgin Cuba Libre please. And make it Diet."

Everyone else ordered drinks and sat in a booth as the band set up. At twelve-eighteen, the band walked onto the stage. They may have been the same guys from before, but Sheldon hadn't cared about them then or now. His eyes had been for Amy then and they were now. At twelve-nineteen, a woman stepped onto the stage. From the way Sheldon ducked, they knew who she was. The woman was slight, with strawberry-blond hair and wore jeans and a faded Batman t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

"Hi," she said into the microphone. "I'm Amy Derris, for those of you who don't remember me." She peered over the crowd. Penny sat up so she could see this woman better. After all, this was the woman who had torn up her friend's heart. The woman who had somehow gotten to Sheldon, who had seemed impenetrable until they had found out about her. It was a disappointment to see someone so…human. "This song is for that someone special. You know who you are."

The song was 'Stay'. As the opening chords were plucked, and she opened her mouth, everyone in the booth seemed to freeze. They stared at Sheldon. He was thinking of the scene in 'Chasing Amy' where it had appeared. People had deemed it 'The Normal Couple Scene'. The scene where Holden finds out everything. It reminded him of a dark, hot night six years ago.

_What do you want from me?_

_You know what I want._

_I told you that I do not make promises._

Suddenly, the room was too small. He had to get out. As Amy closed her eyes for the chorus, Sheldon slid out of the booth and walked out of the bar, onto the streets. Missy and Leonard went after him. Raj took a sip of his drink and turned to the nearest woman. Howard continued eating the sandwich he has ordered. Something about the late hour and defying his mother in some weird way made him eat. So, Penny was the only one watching Amy. In way, she felt compelled to do so. Someone had to be a witness

After that song, there were others. A twenty minute set and then they were gone, Amy just saying goodnight. Maybe she had been expecting something and had gotten nothing instead. Or to be precise: nobody. Five minutes later, Penny saw her sit at the bar and order a drink. The guys were still occupied. They wouldn't miss her.

"That was a great set," Penny commented. Amy turned to her. She noticed that the red-head had a few freckles on her nose and cheeks. Somehow, this made her more human, not the paragon that she had expected.

"Thank you," Amy said. "I don't get to play much up in Seattle. Working in a bookstore actually takes up most of my time."

"You think you'll be able to make the time, but the day job takes over, right?" Penny laughed. "I'm Penny Miller."

"Amy Derris." They sat and drank for a while in silence before Penny spoke again.

"That's an unusual song to sing when you're about to get married," she said quietly. Amy turned white. She wasn't wearing her ring tonight.

"How did you know?"

"I live across the hall from Sheldon Cooper."

"Is he here?"

"Not now." Penny put down her glass. "His heart is broken. You hurt him."

"He hurt me too," Amy whispered. "He didn't tell you the whole story did he? How it ended."

"No. He's telling it in order. He just got to when you went to see the fortune teller."

"Miss. Esmeralda. She told me that my heart would be broken. That I would lose my greatest love to his own passion and I would settle. And she was right." Amy looked down at her glass. "I still love him. But its…complicated."

"You can't marry someone else. It isn't fair to anyone. Not you, not Sheldon, not to your fiancé."

"I know. If I knew what would happen if I chose Sheldon, then I would do it. But I need stability. Chip can provide that." Amy pulled a necklace from her shirt. The atom charm glinted off a strobe light. "But I will never forget."

"Go to him one last time. So you will be able to make the right choice and we can go home."

"You are persistent, aren't you?"

"He's my friend. I kind of have to be."


	12. Endings

(Then)

The light of the moon cast a silver glow over the tree-house. Danny Cooper's long abandoned sanctuary had become Amy and Sheldon's love nest. They had discovered its other use in the spring, the night of her senior prom. Missy had been crowned queen and they had left early because Sheldon had been asked and Amy stood by him. They had passed two years just a week ago. His mother had started talking about them getting engaged. Her father had started leaving them alone more often. Sheldon knew everyone expected something to happen. But he wasn't so sure. They were young, and he didn't want to prevent her from being happy, or prevent his own success because of what society expected them to do.

"Hey," Amy whispered, rolling to look at him. Her hair spilled over her shoulders. She smelled of vanilla and his natural scent, that having rubbed off on her during the night's activities. "You okay?"

"Yes," he said and sat up. "I was just thinking."

"You're always thinking baby," she whispered. "Do you ever not think?"

"It is physically impossible for the human mind to complete shut down without going into a vegetative state," Sheldon stated. In the dark, he saw her roll her eyes. "You were being metaphorical, weren't you?" Amy nodded and rolled back onto her back. The sheet slipped off her. "What were you thinking about?"

"The future," Sheldon said. "About what our parents expect from us."

"Your mother told me she wants a church wedding."

"Really?"

"I haven't the heart to break it to her that I don't,"

"Don't?"

"Want a church wedding."

He put his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. How could she be thinking of something so…insane? They were eighteen, they had their whole lives ahead of them and she wanted to become just another young wife, a typical fate in their town. He didn't want that life, a life stuck in neutral. But he didn't say anything, but rather just held her closer, squeezing her so he could rid himself of these thoughts.

He didn't know, she didn't know it, but this was the beginning of the end for them.

Xxx

****

24 hours until the wedding

As the sun began to reach its zenith, Sheldon found himself sitting on the Derris' front porch, waiting for Amy to come home. Coming home could mean one of two things. There was the literal, returning to the house where she had grown up. Then there was the metaphorical, coming home to him, resuming the relationship that been so easy and one of the few things he missed about the past.

"Hey Sheldon," Rick, her father, sat next to him. "Beer?"

"No thank you," Sheldon whispered. "Where is she?"

"Spent the night at a hotel," Rick grunted. "You're a dumbass boy."

"Excuse me?" Sheldon spat.

"You had her. My daughter's been in love with you since she was just a kid. God only knows why. I always thought you were a selfish, know-it-all jackass. But, that was just me. You made her happy. You treated her well. I don't like that other guy."

"His name's Chip."

"Don't like anything about him. He's…pretentious. Like Janice's new husband." Sheldon didn't mention that his ex-wife's husband was hardly 'new', as they had been married for five or so years. He also wondered how Rick had learned the word 'pretentious', as it didn't seem like something he or anyone he would associate with would say. He decided not to dwell on it.

"I love her. Despite many attempts to do so, I could not rid myself of any emotional attachment I have towards your daughter."

"So, what's your problem? You love her, she loves you. Why can't you two either let go or get your god-damn act together?"

For once, Sheldon had nothing to say. There was no logical reason for what either of them was doing. He had to see her. At some point in the day, he would go to her and make a choice once and for all.

When he got back to his house, his mother was on the phone with his younger brother, Danny. (A/N: I made an error, naming him David then calling him Danny in a later chapter. Sheldon's brother's name is Danny from now on. Unless you didn't notice, then carry on.) She didn't notice him come in and Sheldon continued his way upstairs. When he got to his room, he was met by Penny and Missy, who were waiting for him.

"No one's allowed in my room," he said. The women gave him identical looks of death. "What is it then?"

"We have 24 hours to go and we have done crap, that's what," Penny said. "Look, Sheldon, I know you're scared, but you can't keep putting it off. We can be there, if you want. But, you have to see her. It isn't fair to anyone that no one is doing anything to actually stop the wedding or talk."

"I have to factor in all the possible outcomes," Sheldon said. "This isn't a movie Penny. A declaration of love isn't going to end at that. We have lives. Separate lives and I don't want to go through this again."

"Go through what?" Penny asked.

"When we ended our relationship six years ago, it was because our lives didn't fit together anymore. I had a job offer from Cal-Tech. She was attending the local community college. Our lives were destined to take different paths. Things had to end."

Xxxx

(Then)

The envelope was on his dresser, mocking him. It was a letter from Cal-Tech, and they were offering him a job in their physics department. He had always admired their work and now he would be a part of it. In that moment, he had never remembered such joy, such excitement over a mere possibility. Of course, after the emotion subsided, there was some trepidation. How would his mother handle the news? How would Amy? His eyes fell on the picture he kept in his room. It was of them not long after her high school graduation a year ago before. A candid shot taken by Danny, who had been 12 and obsessed with photography for a time. His stomach lurched at the thought of leaving her. Of course, he pushed it down quickly.

That night, after both sets of parents had gone to sleep, Sheldon had signaled her from his window and they met in the tree-house, as usual. When he arrived, she was waiting, wearing a long t-shirt. Her greeting was a passionate embrace and kiss, knocking him onto the mattress they had dragged up here in the winter. They began their usual dance. His hands tangled into her hair, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. One hand rested on her thigh, tracing patterns onto her soft skin. She moaned into his mouth, pressing against him.

After, they lay on the mattress, a tangle of limbs. He stroked her side idly, his fingertips dancing along her ribs. The atom charm glinted in the moonlight. Sweat stuck them together, but he didn't mind.

"I got a job offer," Sheldon said.

"That's great Shell!" Amy pecked him on the cheek. "Where?"

"Cal-Tech University."

"Are you going to take it?"

"Of course I am! It is a great opportunity. Working there, I could win the Nobel Prize before I turn 30."

"That's…awesome baby. I'm happy for you, I really am. But I just have one thing to ask you."

"What is it?"

"When you leave, what's going to happen to us?"

"Well, I will be in California, and you will most likely stay here." His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. He didn't realize the meaning behind her words.

"No, Shell. Will we remain a couple? Are you going to remain faithful when you're over there?" Amy started to cry, tears falling from her eyes at an amazing speed.

"I can't make you such a promise." Amy pulled herself from him and wrapped the sheet around her. "Why are you so upset?" She turned to him, crying freely by then. After taking a moment to calm herself, Amy spoke.

"So, if something happens, if you meet someone, you can't promise me you won't cheat on me."

"I did not say that."

"Then promise me that you'll be faithful. I love you Shell! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Amy, you know I love you, but I can not make such a promise."

"Fuck you then!"

"What do you want from me?"

"You know what I want."

"I told you that I do not make promises."

After that, she grabbed her t-shirt and pulled it on. Sheldon tried to stop her, tried to tell her what he wanted to be with her, wanted to take her with him, tell her he was sorry. But by then, she was gone, fleeing into her dark house like a ghost.

It would be four years before he saw her again.

Four years later was his father's funeral. He had gotten the call on a Tuesday and had boarded a plane to Texas on Wednesday. The funeral was on a Friday. This meant two days of trying to ignore the pain in his heart, his mother's crying and his sibling's mourning methods. Missy dealt with the pain by crying constantly and drinking in the kitchen, bathroom and pretty much any room their mother wasn't in. Danny kicked and punched the punching bag in the basement, the rattling annoying Sheldon. Of course, he couldn't say anything about it. They didn't talk much, until the funeral.

Joe Cooper had died from a heart attack at only 52 years old. Years of poor eating habits and extreme physical activity had done him in. Even Sheldon had been shocked. One did not expect their parents to actually expire. Before the service, Sheldon was putting on his suit when he felt the tears start. He knew there was nothing to be done to stop them, so he just bowed his head and wept into his hands.

The service had been quick and simple. Joe wouldn't have wanted anything more, as he had been a simple man in life. After the service and interment, the two of the remaining Coopers went home. Missy and Danny had decided to go off with their friends, as a means of coping. Mary took some pills and went to sleep. Sheldon sat in his room and cried for a while. He hadn't cried in a long time, and this was his second time today. He heard footsteps and wiped at his face.

"Shell." That word in a soft whisper of a voice that he had never forgotten. Amy stood before him, in a black dress and shoes. She had cut her hair. It hung around her face like fringe on a pair of cowboy boots "You poor thing."

"Amy." He grabbed her hands, lacing their fingers. They held hands for a few minutes, staring into each other's eyes. Sheldon pulled Amy towards him, wrapping her arms around his back and resting his head on her chest. Gently, she let go of him and pushed him down, until they were lying on his bed. Amy stroked his face, hair and chest, murmuring soothing sentiments as they embraced.

"Let me make you feel better." Amy sat up. "Tell me what I can do."

In response, he pulled her to him, crushing them together. Their tears mingled as they wept. They wept for Joe, a good man gone too soon, they wept for the past, for what they had lost and they wept because they needed it. Amy began to kiss his face, trying to catch his tears. He did the same to her. Their mouths met, lips lingering so close, he could taste her and she tasted the same. He closed the distance once. Sweet, soft, familiar. More tears came and she just held onto him. They lay this way for what felt like hours until she had to go home. The ache in his heart grew as he watched her walk across her lawn. Sheldon had read about people having physical encounters to cope with grief. It had been just that, a coping mechanism. A least that was what he told himself to keep himself from backsliding. Less that twenty-four hours later, he was on a plane back to California.

It would be another two years before they met again.

Xxx

****

Still 24 hours until the wedding

When he was done recounting the first story, Missy and Penny stared at him with very angry looks on their faces. He hadn't told them what had happened the day of his father's funeral. It was something of his, a private moment he still valued greatly.

"You're an idiot Sheldon." Missy spoke for both women.

"Why?"

"Really? You don't know why she got mad? Sheldon, you basically told her you would probably have sex with someone else."

"That goes against social convention. I know that now. But I didn't when I was 19. All I knew was that we may not have stayed together." Sheldon bowed his head. "Not that she had any worries. I have never…known another woman."

"That's Sheldon-speak for he never slept with anyone else."

"What the hell was the whole 'no promise' deal about anyway? You probably would have been able to keep it."

"Promises can be broken. You of all people should know that."

Xxx

Next chapter is the reunion and the reveal of what the hell happened when Sheldon ran away to Texas after the guys betrayed him that made him a wreck, Amy panic and everyone else really confused.


	13. Revelations and Fiances

The format will be a bit different for this chapter. The portions on italics are flashbacks and the portions in regular font are the present.

Xxx

22 hours until the wedding

Lunch at both the Cooper and Derris homes were quiet affairs. At the Derris house, Amy, Rick and her step-mother, Delia, sat around the table, quietly eating the chicken pot pie Delia had spent all morning making. Rick and Delia had been married for five years, and Amy loved her step-mother like a mother. In fact, she called her Mom. Their special bond had given Rick an idea, with some help from Mary Cooper. If anyone could make Amy see the light, it would be Delia. The older woman had immediately jumped on board with Rick and Mary's plan. While she may not have known Amy when she and Sheldon were dating or even met the man, she had been around for the fallout of their breakup and she had been the only one that had suspected that something had happened the day of Joe Cooper's funeral.

As Amy took a mouthful of pie, Delia put the plan into motion. She put down her fork and looked directly at her step-daughter. She then said the words that needed to come from her to make sense: "Amy, you are making a big mistake. Do not do this."

"What are you saying Mom?" Amy asked, choking on her pie.

"I don't know if anyone has told you, but if you marry that man, your life will be miserable. Everyone knows this but you apparently. Sheldon clearly loves you and he will pine for you until he dies. And that type never lasts long."

Meanwhile, at the Cooper house, they were eating soup. Mary had sent Raj, Howard and Leonard to Costco and they had gotten lost, sucked into the massiveness that was Costco and wandering for two hours. They had ended up bringing home dozens of cans of soup, a wedge of cheese bigger than their heads, 36 cans of Coke and enough potato chips to keep them until the end of the world. This was their lunch, probably dinner and hopefully not their breakfast.

"What do y'all want to do after lunch?" Missy said cheerfully.

"We need a plan of attack for the wedding," Sheldon announced. Telling his story and remembering had reinvigorated his zest for the plan. The others didn't know whether to be excited or scared. Mary kicked her part of the plan into action.

"It doesn't have to go that far Shelly," Mary carefully said.

"What do you mean?" Sheldon asked.

"You could talk to her. Try and convince her to stop the wedding."

Xxx

_The sun was still painfully bright when Sheldon stepped outside once more. His mother was watching her stories and he was lonely. Outside was the tree-house. His former sanctuary, while it still held memories, equaled solitude. That was what he needed. Some time to think everything over. Now, with some space between him and his betrayers, running away seemed foolish. But, there was no way he as going to crawl back to them and grovel for his old life. That wasn't the way Coopers did things. Coopers did things their way or the highway. The words of his father rang in his head as he climbed up the ladder. As he neared the entrance, he could hear a guitar strumming and soft humming. Sheldon poked his head in and saw her. The woman sitting on the mattress with white and gray sheets had grown her hair to the middle of her back, and she wore a white blouse, jeans and flip-flops. _

"_Amy?" He couldn't believe this. In the midst of his fall from grace, she was back. Was this a gift or a curse?_

"_Shell." A whisper and a smile. She put her guitar down and came over to where he stood, shocked. "You're back again."_

"_There some extreme circumstances that forced me to return home." She hugged him and gestured that they sit on the mattress._

"_That's a bad idea." Sheldon stared at her as if she were mad._

"_Why?" Amy challenged._

"_Who knows what germs have been growing there? And for all you know my brother used this tree-house for the same purposes we did."_

"_Shell, I aired out the mattress and changed the sheets today."_

"_Why?"_

"_I had a feeling I would need to." She pointed to the mattress. "That is clean. I swear."_

_He sat on the mattress, his head in his hands. The weight shifted as she sat next to him. The smell of vanilla wafted to his nose and a hand rested on his arm. It was a signal to talk. So he did. He told her about the expedition, the discovery, the truth coming out. Everything poured out of him in waves, until his throat hurt from talking too much about it. In the course of his monologue, her hand had drifted. Their fingers were now linked, twined together. When he looked down, he found himself squeezing her hand._

Xxx

After lunch, Sheldon left the house. Mary went to watch her stories and everyone else spread out. Penny and Leonard took one of the 36 Cokes each and sat in the backyard. It was the first time they had been alone together since they arrived. Yet conversation turned to their mission.

"Why are we doing this?" Leonard wondered aloud.

"Sheldon deserves to be happy," Penny countered. "Admit it, this the most human you've seen him act."

"True," Leonard said. "But, we're in Texas. Sheldon is hiding in his room. We went to a bar last night. A hobo spat at me. Howard wore a dress. This is crazy!"

"Love is crazy!" Penny snapped. "I almost followed you this summer because I love you. That's ten times crazier than coming to Texas."

"You love me?" The can in his hand fell and rolled to the grass by their feet. The only sounds in the immediate vicinity were the birds, a far-off lawn mower and their breathing.

"For a genius, you aren't very smart when it comes to women."

"What was your first clue?"

There wasn't a verbal answer to that. There really wasn't any response to something this big. In a game, the dice would be rolled and they would go from there. If this was a TV show, they would cut to commercial. But this was real.

On the other side of the property, Sheldon stood on the grass, gathering his courage. This should be easy. Millions of men throughout history had faced greater dangers, risked their lives for much less. If this was so easy, then why was his stomach in knots, his palms damp?

As he began to close the distance between the houses, someone came out of the Derris house. It was a woman. She turned towards him. Sheldon drew in a breath. It was her. An instant later, she saw him. They met half-way, on the driveway. The diamond on her left ring finger glinted in the sun. A lump rose in Sheldon's throat and he wanted to yank it off her. It didn't look right on her.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hello." Sheldon nodded. A clump of hair fell into her eyes. Automatically, Sheldon reached to tuck it behind her hair. "Your ponytail is undone."

"Really?" Amy freed her hair. "Didn't notice." His hand was still on her face, cupping her face. Sheldon knew he shouldn't be doing this. It was against most social convention to make advances towards an engaged woman. But, these were exceptional circumstances.

"We have to talk," Sheldon whispered.

Xxx

_Everything had gone white. The world had shrunk to the mattress and the woman below him. For a minute, his mind had gone blank. There was only the softness of her skin, the familiar vanilla scent that seemed to be part of her. Sheldon buried his face in the crook of her neck, nipping at the soft flesh and watching it turn red. She moaned and ran her hands along his long, thin back. His teeth scraped the column of her neck as she pulled at his t-shirt. It gave away and she tugged it over his head. She pushed his head away for a moment to lift her blouse over her head. _

_It was still a marvel to him, her body. Every time, he still found pleasure in her. From what he had observed over the years, people got bored and moved onto someone else. He thought that by now, after nearly nine years, he wouldn't still be amazed. Apparently, this wasn't so. A hand fell between their bodies, fumbling with the zipper on her jeans, yanking them to her knees. Under him, Amy bucked and squirmed as his mouth found her breast. Hips bumped hips and her eyes fluttered open and shut as she spiraled higher and higher. As she splintered on the inside, her eyes screwed shut as her body and his fingers took her to Nirvana._

"_In my purse, there's a…" Amy paused to gulp in air. Sheldon nodded and grabbed it from the floor. While he did that, Amy tugged off his pants, her hands shaking. Sheldon readied himself and grabbed her legs to wrap around his waist. Both their bodies shook, and their hands were unsteady, out of practice. They stared at each other, Sheldon tracing her features. Everything else was nothing. His friends, his job, even science were far away. _

"_I love you." The realization came to him in a flash. "It is irrational, but I think I never stopped loving you."_

"_No, it isn't." She kissed him. With a soft grunt, he sank into her, bucking against her. Hands grabbed hips and her fingers clawed his back, and he felt the sting. But that didn't matter. What did was now. For the first time in a long while, he was living in the present. For once, he was like an average person. And it wasn't that bad._

_After, he collapsed against her, still holding her close. Amy kissed him on the forehead, too drained to do anything more. They lay on the mattress for what seemed like forever. It was actually only ten minutes. Then, Sheldon rolled off her and started to dress. Lunch was almost ready and he needed to set the table. _

"_I'll call you." Sheldon's voice was muffled from his t-shirt._

"_That would be nice." Amy was tugging her jeans on. "I'm right next door."_

"_Was that a joke?" _

"_Yes."_

_There was one last kiss before he left. As Sheldon crossed the lawn, he started to hum the Spiderman theme. At least something good had come of this mess. To use a movie colloquialism, the geek had gotten the girl._

"_Guess what?" his mother asked as soon as he walked into the door._

"_You know how I feel about that phrase Mother."_

"_Oh, right. I forgot Shelly. Anyway, Delia Derris just called. Amy's getting married next week!"_

_And just like that, the world came crashing down again._

Xxx

"I am so sorry that I led you on."

"You told me you loved me while we were having intercourse." Sheldon lifted her hair. There was still a mark on her neck. The scratches were still on his back. "How did you hide that from your fiancé?"

"I haven't touched him since," Amy's expression was detached. "Guilt."

"Do you love him?" Sheldon's voice was shaking. "Did you mean it when you said you loved me?"

"Shell, how could you say something like that?" Amy started to cry.

"Is the answer not going to work out in your favor?"

Raj and Howard watched through the picture window, crouched on the sofa. They couldn't hear a word, but watched the woman's eyes mist up with tears and Sheldon remove his hand from her face and step away.

"That was cold dude," Raj commented.

"Yeah, but whatever she did have to been bad. He was wrecked," Howard countered.

"True, but they love each other."

"She hurt him."

"Maybe he hurt her first."

"Whose car is that?" Raj pointed to a green Prius that had pulled up.

"I think I can guess." Howard pointed at the man getting out. He was tall, thin, with brown hair that needed cutting and a three day beard. There was something familiar about the way he stood and walked. As the mystery man ambled towards Sheldon and Amy, they gasped. It was the fiancé. (A/N: They hadn't gotten a good look at him during the country club mission, as Raj had started drinking and Howard was trying to fool everyone into thinking he was a hairy lady)

He looked like the rocker version of Sheldon.

Meanwhile, Chip Winkle grabbed Amy by the arm and yanked her into a hug. It was all hands and mouth. She turned her head to avoid his lips. It seemed disrespectful to let him kiss her in front of Sheldon. Chip was one of those guys who grabbed 'his woman' and slobbered all over her. This behavior was the alpha male equivalent of peeing on something to mark it one's own. From the look on Sheldon's face. Amy knew that he was thinking the same thing.

"Hey," Chip barked. "Chip Winkle." And who the hell are you, was added on the end of that sentence silently. It was a challenge, one that Sheldon accepted.

"Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

"You that fine Missy's brother? The California rocket scientist?"

"Chip I've told you. Shell is a theoretical physicist at Cal-Tech." Amy rolled her eyes for show, as if she did love this man despite that one fault he seemed to have. Sheldon could list six and he had only known him for about a minute.

"Babe, we gotta bounce. Lunch with my family." Before Amy could say good-bye, they were off. Sheldon felt cheated. There still weren't any answers. He had to see her again.

It was time to call in his absolute last resort.

Leslie Winkle.


	14. Diner

15 hours until the wedding

"You are just the sorriest looking group of people I have ever seen," the waitress said to the six people crowded into one booth. They turned to him. Until their waitress had come back, they had been wallowing their misery. Penny had her head on Leonard's shoulder, the latter enjoying this despite the fact she smelled strongly of alcohol. Leonard was having a glass of water. Raj and Howard were sharing a cake, Missy was nursing a cup of coffee and Sheldon just sat quietly, playing with something in his left hand.

"Well, we've had a long night," Missy explained.

"It looks like it," the woman, whose name tag read DARLA staring at Missy, who was wearing a green party dress and deadly heels. "Where were you?"

"I was at the pre-wedding dinner they tried to crash."

"I'm guessing it didn't go so well."

"And it wasn't my fault this time!" Howard cut in. Missy kicked him. "What? It's true."

"So, what, you crash pre-wedding parties all the time?"

"We've been trying to stop this wedding for a few days," Missy explained. Darla looked confused. "The bride is my brother's One Who Got Away."

"That's interesting. I gotta hear this story." Darla pulled up a chair. Missy introduced the rest and gave Kevin the short version of the story, up to Amy and Sheldon's talk on the driveway. As she was about to get to what had happened after that, two men came up to them.

"That's where you were you lazy cow," a man wearing a hairnet barked at Darla. "What are you doing?"

"Missy and everyone, this is Frank, the cook," Darla said. "Missy's telling me the story of that praying mantis looking dude's long lost love." She then gave Frank the condensed version. "Does he have a picture?" Sheldon produced the tiny photo he had been carrying since this whole mess started. "Wow."

"I'd hit that," Frank said in the worst sotto voice ever. Sheldon shot him his best scary look. "What? It's a compliment. I have very high standards." Darla shook his head and mouthed 'No, he doesn't'.

"So what happened after you went to see this Leslie Winkle chick?" Darla asked.

"_No," Leslie folded her arms. "No. I won't help you do this."_

"_Please Leslie?" Leonard pleaded. "Sheldon won't let us go home until we've exhausted every last scenario. This is the last one."_

"_Still, no," Leslie said. Howard cleared his throat. It was time for him to step up. No longer would he be Howard the screw-up, Howard the wimp. Now he would be known as 'Howard the matchmaker' or 'Howard the brave'."_

"_Leslie, when we were dating, you requested a particular sexual…idea, if you will that I refused. I only gave in when you promised me a large favor in return. Today is the day that I cash that favor in."_

_Leslie thought for a moment. Everyone drew in a deep breath. When she said 'yes' in a vexed voice, everyone breathed again._

"So, what was the move?" Frank asked. Howard leaned over the table and whispered it in his ear. "Dude, I thought that was outlawed. That's sick man. You should've asked for a lot more."

"Leslie told Sheldon to go into Amy's hotel room. She would lie about a dress emergency to get her up there. All Sheldon had to do was talk to her. It should have worked."

_The bed may have been covered in invisible STDs and germs, and the sheets weren't done properly, but Sheldon honestly didn't care. The germs on the bed he was sitting on could have been doing the Chicken Dance on his thighs and he wouldn't have done a thing. Amy was going to be here any minute now. Everything was going to be okay. This nightmare would be over and everyone could go home._

_The doorknob started to turn. Sheldon's heart rate started to accelerate. He jumped up from the bed. A moment later, the person stepped inside. This isn't right, Sheldon thought. The person in the hotel room wasn't Amy at all. He wore a suit, yet hadn't bothered to brush his hair. With a sinking heart, Sheldon realized who he stood face to face with. The man was Chip, the brother of one of the people Sheldon hated the most._

"_What are you doing here?" Sheldon asked. "You aren't supposed to be here."_

"_I could ask you the same question," Chip said. "But I already know the answer."_

"_Then why would you ask the question?" _

"_Shut up!" Chip barked. "I came here to have a talk with you Sheldon. Man-to-man." Chip flashed him a fake smile. "Look, I know why you're here. You want Amy. You think that by showing up here and telling her that you 'love her', you're going to somehow stop the wedding. Well, I got news for you. That ain't gonna happen."_

"_Excuse me?" Sheldon asked, offended._

"_Amy…well, she doesn't love you. Hell, she barely likes you. Whatever moment you two may have shared doesn't mean anything. Amy and I are getting married. She sent me up here to tell you to leave us alone. Just go back to California and forget her." Chip paused for a moment. "Almost forgot. She said that she doesn't need this anymore." Chip reached into his pocket and took out a necklace. The silvery atom charm glinted in the light of the lamp. _

For a moment, their new friends were stunned. They sat in stunned silence. Sheldon was still playing with the necklace, sliding the chain between his fingers, the charm rolling on his palm. He hadn't said a word, too lost in his own mind to say anything.

"That doesn't sound right," Darla said. "I think he was lying."

"You have a point," Frank said. "I mean, if someone had slept with my fiancée, I would mention it when I was telling him off."

"Yeah!" Penny's words were a little slurred. "So, maybe he knew about Sheldon and Amy's past, and figured out what Sheldon wanted. But, he didn't know that Amy is still in love with Sheldon, so he thinks that lying will work."

"So what happened next?" Frank asked.

"Nothing. Sheldon shut down for a while. Penny and Raj took advantage of the open bar at the party. Howard hit on every bridesmaid. After nearly an hour, we realized that Amy had never left the room and Leslie went to check on him. Then, we came here."

"You can still stop the wedding!" Darla shrieked.

"How?" Leonard asked.

"Chip was lying, so we can still stop the wedding! We just have to believe!" Raj crowed. "_Don't stop believing! Hold on to that feeling now!"_ He sang along to the jukebox.

"Your little…whatever he is friend has a point," Frank said. "Go, go, go!"


	15. The Wedding Part One

4 hours until the wedding

There was a schematic of the wedding on the kitchen table. The drawing on blue paper was of the lake, the seating, the aisle and the little stage where the ceremony would be preformed. There were pushpins stuck on the sheet as well. Each symbolized a different person involved in the plan, whether as a participant, target or bystander that may get involved. While Sheldon finalized the plan, Missy and Raj dug around the attic for the scuba gear that her father had brought twenty years ago and had never used. Deep down, the Cooper twins knew their father would be proud of what they would be using it for. Penny and Leonard stood by, watching Sheldon while Howard helped Mary make latkes.

"Do you think it's going to work?" Penny whispered.

"If anyone can pull this off, it's Sheldon." Leonard answered.

"Okay, I have it!" Sheldon said. "Everyone gather around."

"The ceremony is to begin at noon right here." He gestured to the stage by the lake. "At eleven, the preparations will begin and some guests may arrive. It is key that Raj and I will don the scuba gear and swim to the dock, which is right behind the stage, before then. Any view of the dock will be obstructed and we will not have to use air, as we will basically be standing.

"Missy, you will play a key role in the next phase. You will be with Amy during her final stages of preparation for the ceremony. Everything you do is psychological. Subtly remind her of me. Make her think about one of the good times, not the bad. Like when we went to the beach."

"Good idea Shelly," Missy snapped her fingers. "Why didn't I think of that? High time I found out anyway."

"What happened when you went to the beach?" Howard asked. He was ignored.

"While Missy manipulates Amy, Leonard and Penny will 'crash' the ceremony (Note- Yes he is using air quotes) and sit in the third row on the bride's side. The first two will be filled with family and close friends. After that, it is apparently a free-for-all for seating. Whatever you do, do not sit behind Amy's mother. If able, get a seat behind Rick Derris, Amy's father. He is in full support of stopping the wedding and will provide an objection if needed.

"Howard, your job is to flirt with the organ player. She is 52 year old Bea Brookes. My mother has told me that Bea needs male attention. After making her pliable, give her this fifty dollar bill to play something startling before the priest asks anyone to voice their objections. She must vamp for three minutes. During those three minutes, I will rise, get out of the wetsuit and change into my clothes.

"At eleven-fifty, the procession will begin. Just before you march up Missy, tell Amy…" For a moment, Sheldon paused to swallow a lump in his throat. "That I am forever changed because of her and what she meant to me."

"You stole that from 'Chasing Amy', didn't you?" Penny asked.

"That quote holds meaning for both of us," Sheldon answered. "At approximately twelve-twenty, the vows will be said and the minister will start to ask who needs to speak. Bea Brookes will play and I will change. When the minister asks who wishes to object, all of you do so."

"Even me?" Missy asked. They stared at her. "What? I'm the maid of honor. Unless I'm sleeping with the groom and carrying his baby, I shouldn't be objecting."

"Well, you must. When the minister asks people to settle down, I will step out and voice my own objection." For moment, he paused and stared at the necklace in his hand. "Then, it will be fixed."

Meanwhile, Amy was also awake, sitting in her hotel room, wearing the red hotel robe, her hair wet from the shower and her eyes trained at her dress. Less than four hours to go before the ceremony. All she could think was: _It should have been you. It should be you I'm marrying today. _

But, some things weren't meant to be. If they had been meant to stay together, that night would have ended differently. Years later, Amy had realized that she was to blame for what had happened. She should have been rational, not run out of the tree house, crying like a child lost in the mall. They could have talked about it, come to a decision that would have saved them. In that alternate tangent, they would be engaged if not married, and if they were married, they would be considering children, or maybe even have one of their own. A tiny carbon copy of Sheldon wearing a t-shirt that said something cute and physics related or had dozens of little atoms and e=mc² symbols on it.

But, that wasn't happening and she had to realize it. Sheldon wasn't coming for her on a white horse. He hadn't called her or even tried to see her. Maybe life wasn't like the movies. Maybe she should move on,

Xxx

**59 minutes**

"Howard's making his move on the organ player," Penny hissed. She and Leonard had already infiltrated the pre-wedding mixer. As far as anyone else knew, they were co-workers of Amy's from Seattle. Penny was on Howard detail (as no one had much faith in him at this point) and Leonard was supposed to find Amy's father. He would help them, since he was Team Sheldon. "And she's blushing. Aw!"

"So, he's a catch in Texas," Leonard muttered. "You have the easy job. How can I find one man in this crowd? Half these guys look alike!"

"There he is," Penny said. "Rick is the guy wearing the 'Father of the Bride' hat."

**56 minutes**

In the hotel room, the women in the wedding party were putting on the final touches. When the bride came out in her gown and glory, they all shut up to stare at her. Nine eyes (one of the bridesmaids was a tad cockeyed) turned to stare at her.

"You look amazing."

"Like a magazine."

"The pictures will be great."

"The most beautiful bride I've ever seen."

Leslie just smiled and raised her glass of champagne. Of course she knew how this day was going to end. In a way, this would work out for her. If Amy didn't marry Chip and went back to Dr. Dumbass, then he would be more tolerable at work and she wouldn't spend so much time fighting with him. And if the wedding went through, Sheldon might just fall off the face of the earth. It was a win-win for Leslie.

"I am so proud of you," Janice (Amy's bio-mom, the mean one, not the nice one who wants her to be with Sheldon) sniffled. "You're making the right choice."

**52 minutes**

"So, what's your plan?" Raj asked.

"What plan?" Sheldon asked as he fiddled with his mask.

"For after we ruin the wedding."

"We are not ruining the wedding. Letting Amy marry and probably procreate with a Winkle would be ruining the human race."

"So, how are we not ruining the wedding by her being your baby mama?"

"Maybe someone else could have a ceremony instead. They wouldn't be legally married, as there is the matter of paperwork. It can't be Amy and I, as that will be rather complex for a while. You and Howard can't get married because it will be a hot day on Hoth when Texas allows gay marriage."

"For the last time, Howard and I are just friends!"

**45 minutes**

"I'm not coming out!" Amy yelled. "I can't marry Chip!"

"Didn't see that coming," Leslie muttered.

"Amy, honey, unlock the door. We'll just talk. No one has to get married," Missy said. "We can even talk about you-know-what if you want. Just open the door."

The door opened.

**42 minutes**

"You want me to play this?" Bea Brookes stared at the sheet music and then Howard.

"It will be a huge favor," Howard said. "I'll pay you. Fifty dollars."

"What else you got?" Howard thought for a moment before he remembered what his mother had packed for.

"Brisket."

"Sold."

**40 minutes**

"I can't do this," Amy muttered and began to pace. "I can't marry him. It'll end badly. One morning, I'm going to brain him with a frying pan or something. Oh god, I don't want to have his kids. He's a moron!" She tried to open the window. "Dammit, why won't the damn window open?"

"You won't be able to fit," Missy reminded her. "Remember New York?"

"Can't forget," Amy seemed to calm down. "You had to sing 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' in that karaoke bar for a bunch of drunken Japanese business men. I saw snow for the first time. And I lost my virginity in that ugly hotel bed. You remember? Those fake gold lion's head toppers on the bedposts were so ugly. They looked constipated. Thank God the sheets were maroon. Or else I would have felt sorry for the maid. But, I was so happy that night. I was 16 and in love with the most amazing guy in the world." Amy sighed and leaned her head against the window.

"What happened at the beach?" The beach trip in question had been taken the same year Amy and Sheldon had started dating, two weeks before school had started. Both families had gone to a small beach a few hours away for several days.

"Okay, so I'm in the water and Shell is on the beach, covered in suntan lotion and under the umbrella. You know him. He'd wear a hazmat suit to the beach if he could. Well, I look awful. My hair is straggly and my bathing suit was ugly. I come out the water cold and miserable. When he sees me, his face just lights up and he tells me I look like an ocean nymph come to life. No one here says things like that. It's too…"

"Sensitive?"

"Exactly. Then, the sun hit him just right. I remember it had just started to set and when the pink-purple light fell on him, I just knew."

"Knew what?"

"That I loved him. And I said it too. My exact words were 'I am going to fall in love with you Sheldon and you can't stop me'. And he said 'If literature has taught us anything, it is that love is impossible to stop, unless you kill one of the two involved. And I have no intention of killing you'. I guess that was his way of saying he might be falling for me too."

**28 minutes**

Rick Derris stared at the two Yankees before him with a look of shock on his face. Finally, some help had arrived. If he were the type of man to grab two pistols and shoot them in the air. But, Delia had changed him. So he settled for hugging them.

"Thank Lord someone's stopping this foolishness," he said. "HEY DELIA, GUESS WHAT?" Rick yelled to his wife. "WE GOT SOME HELP!"

**15 minutes**

The wedding party (at lease the bride's half) made their way to the lake in silence. Amy's mother had gotten to her, screaming horrible things about her daughter and her life choices, calling Sheldon names and throwing the cost of the wedding in Amy's face. In the end, a mother's guilt had done wonders on Amy and she sat in the limo, her face stone, but her mind working. At the very least, she could say 'I don't'. As a backup, she prayed that Missy or her father or someone had a plan because she was too scared to take this leap alone.

"I have a message from Sheldon," Missy whispered into Amy's ear. "He would like you to know that he is forever changed by who you are and what you meant to him." A second later, her escort whisked her away. A great smile bloomed across Amy's face.

There was hope.

(Note: I am going to skip the vows and the stuff before that. It's boring, at least in my opinion, since all it does is delay the good stuff)

**Just before 'I do'**

There were a lot of shocking moments throughout the history of weddings. Surely the first time a groom ran away in the middle of the ceremony had been a bit unexpected. Then there were the bridesmaids or groomsmen who had chosen to announce that they had slept with half of the happy couple and the brides who had gone into labor just before or after 'I do'.

Today, those may have been topped by the middle-aged organ player suddenly breaking into song and playing 'Single Ladies' as several of the younger guests started dancing. For a minute or so, everyone else was confused. Then, they were annoyed. Finally, after a little more than three minutes, someone got up the courage to grab Bea and tug her off the bench and away from the ceremony. A hush went over the crowd as everyone tried to settle themselves.

"Now, where was I?" Father Jenkins said. "Ah yes. Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I object!" Penny yelled and jumped to her feet. Sheldon started to make his way to the altar from behind it. "They're not a cute couple."

"So do I!" Rick hollered. "Yer not good enough for my angel."

"Me too!" Leonard shouted. "What she said."

"You're a pompous ass Chip" Missy yelled. "Oh, I object too."

"I do too!" Howard yelled. "She's too hot for him!"

"And I object because she belongs with me," a new voice rang out. Sheldon had made it to the altar. He was damp and looked a little crazy, but he was there. More than half the guests recognized him and a collective gasp went out. "Hello. I'm here to stop the wedding."


	16. The Finale

Author's Note: Wow, I can't believe it's here. The exciting conclusion to 'Chasing Amy'. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed. I love you all very much. I would like to thank Mariabonita especially, whose words of encouragement throughout this fic helped my self-esteem, and my co-workers, 'Bruce' and 'Lisey', who made me laugh and helped me come up with some of the best scenes. Also would like to that the creators of TBBT, who gave all of us a great gift.

Xxx

For a moment, everyone was silent and still. Then Amy dropped her bouquet, Chip lunged at Sheldon and a few guests squirmed in their seats. This was better than any movie, yet they wanted it to stop. One of the groomsmen grabbed Chip before he could strangle Sheldon.

"Shell," Amy whispered, her face glowing. "You came." She walked over to him, ignoring her angry fiancé, the whispering guests and the shocked minister, who kept making sputtering sounds. Sheldon took her hand and linked their fingers.

"Don't marry him," he said in a soft voice.

"I think that ship has sailed," Amy laughed. "It's always been you Shell. Even before you and I met, I had an ideal and it was you. All my life I waited for you and then you came and those were the happiest years of my life. If I could change the past, I would. I wouldn't have let you go."

"HEY!" Chip yelled. Everyone stared at him. "I'm not gonna take this crap! Are we getting married or not?"

"Are you sure he's your brother?" Howard asked Leslie, who was watching the scene before her with minimal interest.

"I was a genetic anomaly," she said. "The rest of my family is like him." Howard nodded and they returned their attention to the drama.

"Amy, I…," Sheldon began, but the words wouldn't come. It was the same problem all over again. The words were in his head but refused to pass his lips. He looked into the crowd. In the back was his mother, who smiled at him. Up front was Amy's father, who gave him a thumbs-up. Leonard grinned at him, Penny mouthed 'You can do it!' and Howard was too busy staring at Leslie to gave him any encouragement.

"Unlike many people I never had I romantic ideal as an adolescent. In fact, I was what one would call a late bloomer. However, while in Germany, my sexual maturity began. Upon my return home, I met you on my family's front porch. We became acquainted due to you spending many hours at my house with my sister. There was a base physical attraction the first time I laid eyes on you. The Fourth of July that year, you came to my house slightly intoxicated and kissed me. I reciprocated, truly interested in getting romantically involved for the first time-"

"Get to the romantic part!" Penny hissed. "You're boring everyone to death."

"What I am trying to say is that you were the first person I ever became romantically attached to, and you have remained the only one. There have been no other women that I have been involved with because they did not measure up to the standards that you set up. In a way, I never stopped loving you because there was no other person to put those feelings toward.

"When our relationship ended, a lot went through my mind. I would have refused the job at Cal-Tech to be with you. Then, when I realized you were intent on not speaking to me, I knew leaving was for the best. Like many a superhero, my heart shut down when I lost my main romantic partner. So when we met again the day of my father's funeral, I chose not to get my hopes up. But, when we had intercourse last week, I dared to hope that we may start a romantic relationship once more. Of course my hope was crushed when I heard you were getting married and I went home. My friends, however, encouraged me to come back and stop the wedding so I can tell you this.

"I love you." They both smiled and he held her closer. "I always will."

"Kiss her!" the best man yelled. The other members of the wedding party glared at him. "What? That was pretty freaking romantic."

And so he did. In front of her family and friends, most of his family, all of his friends and a lot of strangers, Sheldon Cooper kissed (and effectively) got the girl. Several people cheered and Penny started to cry. Leonard put his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek. Howard also cried, but Leslie just stepped away from him.

"I believe this belongs to you," Sheldon took the atom necklace from his pocket and put it around her neck. Tears of joy sprang to her eyes and they re-embraced.

"So, no one's getting married?" Father Jenkins said, praying he wouldn't have to perform another ceremony. They weren't his favorite thing (those were funerals) and he wanted to go home.

"Penny, I have something to ask you," Leonard said in her ear. "And I'm not proposing, so please don't run away."

"What is it?" Penny asked.

"Do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"I do."

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you boyfriend and girlfriend. Now I'm going home," Father Jenkins, who had overheard them, said and left. The new couple laughed and kissed. Amy and Sheldon were too busy with each other to notice their surroundings.

After the 'wedding' Amy, Sheldon, Mary, Rick, Janice, Howard, Leslie, Penny and Leonard went to the reception, along with some of the guests, who didn't make any toasts and left as soon as they were done eating. Penny tossed the bouquet and Amy, unsurprisingly, was the one who caught it. Sheldon just smiled and kissed her when asked if he was going to propose. As they got ready to leave and go to the Cooper house, Howard stopped dead in his tracks and gasped.

"Oh my god," he said in a soft, horrified voice.

"What?" Leslie asked.

"We left Raj under the dock!"

Xxx

But there was a real world to get back to. They had jobs and homes, other people who had no idea what they had done. So the next morning, they caught the 4:00 am flight back to California. Raj and Howard were the first to board, tired and eager to get back into their own beds. Penny and Leonard said their goodbyes to Sheldon's family and Amy and boarded. Sheldon waited until the last minute.

"So this goodbye is temporary, right?" Amy asked.

"Of course," Sheldon stated. "When you can, I would like to extend you the honor of coming to live with me and Leonard."

"I'll be sure to take you up on that," a smile played on her lips. "I'm going to miss you Shell."

"You know I will miss you too." Sheldon embraced her, sealing the promises they made the night before with a kiss.

"Final call for Flight 462 to Pasadena," the flight attendant droned. Amy broke away and mouthed 'Go'.

"I love you," Sheldon whispered. Amy said it back, and he boarded the plane. Suddenly, he turned around and ran back to her. He frantically dug around in his pocket and pulled something out of the pocket of his pants and pressed it into his hand. It was small and round. As he pressed it into her palm, Amy felt one of the edges cut into her delicate skin. She uncurled her palm. The simple diamond glinted in the lights of the airport. This was his Mee-Maw's ring.

This was his way of asking and she called her answer as he ran to catch the plane.

"'Yes I said yes I will Yes.' "

xxx

Wow, it's over I can't believe it. Thank you all, reviews are welcome. Oh and Amy's answer is a quote from the novel Ulysses. Be on the lookout for the sequel.


End file.
